The University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library announced it will open a balcony on its fourth floor. The grand opening will be Aug. 30 at 11 a.m.
Maria Atilano is the student engagement librarian at the UNF library and looks forward to the new space.
“That’s going to be our next big space,” said Atilano.
The balcony, funded by the Student Government, will serve as a quiet space for students to study. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Other recent renovations at the Carpenter Library include the new Special Collections exhibit on the first floor and the University Archives reading room.
According to Atilano, the reading room is a chilled, quiet space with new furniture where students can go to get work done.
Although UNF’s library has been around for years, it continues to offer students more resources.
“Most people don’t think of the library as a library because we are so much more,” Atilano said. “We’re a meeting space where you can get your work done.”
The library’s resources benefit both in-person and online students. Students have access to more than 300 research databases via their myWings account. Librarians also offer one-on-one in-person or virtual research consultations to assist students with any subject or topic.
Undergraduate students can check out up to 100 items from the library at a time. These include books, movies, laptops, audiovisual equipment and more.
The recording studio and virtual learning center are on the third floor. Both are free of charge and require a reservation. When he explored campus for the first time, UNF freshman Ryan Hitchcock was surprised by this library feature.
“The library having a recording studio was something I didn’t expect it to have,” Hitchcock said. “You can just use it to record anything like your own podcast while you’re in the library.”
The library offers learning resources and hosts events. Starting on Aug. 27, UNF’s Campus Canines will visit the library every other Tuesday this semester.
Atilano says she plans to hold research parties this semester to help students learn more about the library’s tools.
“There’s a party, there’s snacks, there’s balloons. But also, I’ll help you learn how to use a different database or something if you are working on specific research,” said Atilano.
The library is open to anyone in Jacksonville with valid identification. According to Atilano, students visit it the most frequently on campus.
“It’s something that UNF students could better themselves with, so the library is at the forefront for not only being a welcoming space for anybody to come in and use but also… [has] cutting edge technology,” said Atilano.
The library is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
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