HACC Librarians Continue to Serve Students During Pandemic
May 27, 2020
This story is part of our ongoing “HACC Heroes” series. We recognize the severity of the global coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our communities. During this challenging time, we want to thank and recognize HACC employees, students and others who are making a difference. The heroes of this story are HACC’s faculty librarians.
HARRISBURG, Pa. – The HACC Library didn’t miss a beat when HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, closed its campuses in mid-March and switched to fully remote or online instruction and services. The 21 faculty librarians easily moved on-campus services to just a mouse-click or email away.
“Library faculty have always met with students in Zoom and online chat, and via phone and email to answer questions and have reference appointments, so the faculty and students transitioned quickly to a totally online environment,” said Beth Evitts, HACC’s library executive director.
Although the global coronavirus pandemic prevents the library from providing a physical space to collaborate on projects, use a computer or find a quiet nook to study on each campus, the library’s wide range of services and valuable resources aimed at student success are as strong as ever.
During the spring 2020 semester, faculty librarians taught information literacy sessions via Zoom as HACC's in-person classes moved to remote delivery. Instead of staffing the desks and lending computer and search assistance, they used expanded technologies to respond to requests for research or citation assistance and to provide guidance on the services and resources available.
The faculty librarians continue to answer questions and provide assistance through live chat, which is staffed Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. They also are replying to email sent directly to them and to library@hacc.edu. Chat support is available to students 24/7 through Access Pennsylvania’s Chat with a Librarian service when HACC chat services are not available.
Faculty librarians regularly teach in the College’s virtual classes, so students have seen them in online courses.
“The library faculty who worked with my classes this semester – Corrine Syster, Kathleen Conley, Andrea Hartranft and Barb Stockland – are all heroes in my book! They all did such a fantastic job Zooming with my classes. I am so grateful for everything you all have done to keep our students so well connected with the research materials and assistance they need,” said Kim Allen Gleed, professor of English.
Many online resources that already existed have been utilized for Zoom instruction. The faculty librarians have also been creating new videos, lessons and assignments for Zoom classes. They quickly selected and added new eBooks and streaming video titles to the existing digital library collection that includes:
208,703 e-books
95,756 online videos, such as documentaries, training videos and feature films
77,245 e-journals
80 databases
The faculty librarians have added a new COVID-19 information guide as a resource. It includes information from state, national and worldwide agencies, as well as links to personal health, support resources and employment information. Additional resources for the HACC community can be found at hacc.edu/Coronavirus.
Anyone who wants to know more about HACC’s rich history can now review an archive of issues of the Fourth Estate, a HACC student newspaper, and look through the 1966 HACC Commencement photo collection. Please contact the library@hacc.edu if you know anyone featured in a photo to provide their name.
Photo Caption: Faculty librarian Corrine Syster, far right below, lends research expertise to a class being taught by Kim Allen Gleed, far right top.
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges. HACC offers approximately 100 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 19,000 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), follow us on Instagram (@HACC_edu), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.
