AC’s Lynn Library offers virtual services and in-person amenities
However, if you’ve never actually been to Lynn Library — or if it’s simply been a while since you were there — consider stopping by because some pleasant surprises await.
Located on the fourth floor of the Ware Student Commons on the Washington Street Campus (there’s a branch out by the West Campus, too), Lynn Library welcomes the entire community but caters especially to AC students.
“We welcome anyone who is looking for a comfortable place to study,” said Emily Gilbert, director of Lynn Library. “Not only are we open and able to offer all the services we had prior to the pandemic, but we’ve made some physical changes.
“I believe anyone who hasn’t visited the library recently will be pleased to discover that we’ve rearranged our floor plan to create additional study and computing options — all socially distanced for comfort and peace of mind.”
The library’s computer stations previously featured rows of adjacent PCs, a setup that limited the number of machines that could be used simultaneously due to social-distancing requirements wrought by the pandemic. Those computers are now interspersed throughout the facility so that many more may be used at once.
Additionally, a fresh and spacious lounge area now provides patrons with comforts akin to a living room or den; it’s an oasis for scholarship or recreational reading set amid an assortment of books and online resources easily equal to either enterprise.
A bastion of academic exploration, Lynn Library provides research assistance from professional librarians and offers an array of databases, citation and formatting assistance, printing services and more.
And, of course, the library has a bevy of books, those contained in the reserve-desk collection, along with plenty of new nonfiction titles and an ever-growing collection of fiction. Gilbert says she welcomes suggestions for new acquisitions.
Submit your ideas here.
For special events, such as the upcoming annual observance of Black History Month (February), Lynn Library presents enlightening displays featuring posters and titles of relevance. This February, for example, the library will exhibit a portion of its venerable collection of applicable titles, fit for browsing or borrowing.
“Providing someone with the ability to learn — about the past or about current events, is a personal goal of mine,” Gilbert said.