Student Engagement: Library ambassador program written by Navya V Nair

Hey UWaterloo warriors,

My name is Navya and I’m in my second year of Master's in Sustainability Management at the Faculty of environment. I’m extremely happy being in this role of Library Ambassador to involve with student engagement team and work towards the upliftment of student life in UWaterloo.

I'm going to talk about one of my favorite library services: student engagement in this piece. The library at the University of Waterloo maintains a Student Engagement Committee that works to improve the student experience.

Mary Lynne Bartlett founded and started a project that is very significant, the Library Ambassador program in 2016. This program plays a very powerful part in proving support and information to students at campus fairs, library-wide events, and other library outreach programs. Mary Lynne, the Student Engagement Coordinator is still in charge of the Library Ambassadors!

There are several sections with the resources and services you need to thrive at the University of Waterloo Library along with having a lot of fun! These can be found here: University Waterloo Library: Student Engagement. Transitioning to virtual learning can be difficult for students, particularly because of the hurdles to the online environment in this current pandemic situation. Library tries to connect with students to keep them updated about the services they offer as well as provide relaxation from academic pressures through various exciting contests and events. Some of the ways to build that engagement are the following:

• Events: some of the exciting events that were conducted in Winter 2021 are Special Library Love edition of Scholar(ly) creates to decorate your space with love themed paper crafts, Library love virtual services fair mapped with services and resources and many more to come. Stay tuned!
• Contests: creating a platform for students to showcase their creative skills and win some cool prizes. Every special week brings some sort of contest such as Earth Week (crosswords & scavenger hunt), Goose Week (create Mr. Goose memes) and button design contests. Watch out for more such contests to showcase your talents.
• Social media: follow the library’s social media platforms to stay updated about various events, resources, and services. Important dialogues and learning opportunities can take place in these settings just as easily as they might in a classroom. Grab your phone and follow us now on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
• Newsletters: the library shares newsletters to raise knowledge and understanding of special months with a collection of resources and services. The latest one on the list is Asian heritage month 2021 newsletter that shares Asian Canadian culture, art, and history. One to reflect on is the love week newsletter which was chock-full of library-themed materials, photos, and some special sweepstakes.

Are you excited to know what are the upcoming events and services about? Stay connected to us via our social media accounts to get up to date! These resources can provide wellness to your life with engagement in co-curricular activities along with studies. Reach out to us in case of any questions, concerns, or even just for casual chats.

Enjoy the spring sunshine and spend some time with nature! Have a great term!

- Navya