Helping winter speed by...

During the winter months, the library is a very busy area. Students on all levels are doing research for papers, projects or presentations. The library hums with activity for most periods of the day.

If you are interested in viewing photos of our students working hard, please click the Students at Work button at the top of the page.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that most students are decent, if not confident, writers. Being able to express your thoughts via the written word is a very important skill. Students who are headed to colleges will have most likely have to write several papers before graduating. Trade and technical schools, such as Penn College, also require written papers as well. Students who believe that their paper writing days are over once they leave high school are often surprised to learn that the necessity of the skill of writing papers follows them, often for years after they leave school.

There is often a great deal of stress associated with writing papers but if students prepare carefully, manage their time wisely, and as for help when necessary, then paper writing becomes a manageable activity.

First, students must prepare carefully. Knowing what the teacher requires of the paper or project is essential. Students who flounder often do so because they were never sure what was being required of them.

Managing time is often a challenge for the involved student. Participation in activities means that there is little time for outside of the school day work. Keeping a balance of time given to activities and work is, for some, very challenging. Being disorganized means time is lost looking for important information, notes or sources. Taking a few moments in each work time period means gathering up what is needed and having a plan to work efficiently. While technology has made searching for information easy, it also provides a great many distractions. Managing distractions is actually time management. Also keep in mind that the library has liberal hours: Open 6:30 am to 6 pm on Mondays through Thursdays, and 6:30 am until 4 pm on Fridays. Help is always available during those times.

Students are often reluctant to ask for help. Please encourage them to seek out the library staff who can be of assistance in finding materials, working out printing issues and I am always willing to proofread papers. It is not a weakness to ask for help--it's a sign of maturity.

As we work our way through this time of year, be assured that the library staff is available and willing to help. Just ask us!