The Paul Laurence Dunbar Library, located at Wright State University’s Main Campus, aims to provide assistance in research and more.
Library of Things
The Paul Laurence Dunbar Library is the host to the Library of Things, offering a variety of resources. One of the most unique things that the library has to offer is museum passes.
The Paul Laurence Dunbar Library has passes to several local museums, like The Dayton Art Institute and The Dayton Peace Museum. These passes allow students, and sometimes guests, depending on the pass, entry into these museums.
Students like Taylor Pendleton, an English major at WSU, say that these passes were integral to completing course work in some classes.
“I had to take an Art History class last year. One of our assignments was that we had to go to the Dayton Art Institute and pick a painting to write a report on. Tickets to the Dayton Art Institute aren’t cheap,” Pendleton said. “Me and a few friends in the class discovered that the library offered tickets, so I borrowed the passes, and we were able to complete our homework. I’m not sure what we would’ve done otherwise.”
In addition to the museum passes, the library offers health and wellness items, board games, hobby items, productivity items like calculators and headphones and an assortment of technology.
One of the many resources that the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library at WSU provides is research help with a librarian. If a WSU student needs help with their research topics, there are multiple ways for students to get the help they need.
The first way is through the Ask-a-Librarian feature on the library’s website. Ask-a-Librarian is an online system that is manned between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Using this service, students can ask librarians any questions they may have about not only the library, but resources for papers.
According to University Librarian and a member of Library Administration, Jane Wildermuth, this service is underutilized because some students believe it is Artificial Intelligence. However, Wildermuth shared that it is completely manned during hours by librarians waiting to help.
“People assume that the help line is AI, but it isn't,” Wildermuth said. “The help line is always staffed with librarians that can help students find what they are after.”
The help line is a tool that can be a quick resource for the student body to use, but if more help is needed, WSU students can make an appointment with a librarian for all of their research needs.
“Appointments are a great way to efficiently make use of your time by finding the resources you need for your assignments. The purpose of your appointment may vary depending on your class or where you are in the research process. Librarians can help you refine your research topic, identify the most relevant databases for your subject, develop effective keyword strategies, and evaluate your sources,” Wildermuth said. “We offer a wide range of tools to support every stage of your research journey. By meeting with a librarian, you’ll get personalized guidance to navigate your options and locate the best materials for your project.”
Appointments can be made on the library’s website and can be done either in person or virtual format.
According to students like Fern Lawler, a student pursing their master's degree in humanities, they are thankful for this tool being available to them to use
“My appointment went smoothly,” Lawler said. “We sat down, I told them what I was going for with my paper, and they helped me refine my idea. I genuinely don’t think I would’ve been able to find those resources on my own without help.”
In addition to the help line and the ability to make appointments, Paul Laurence Dunbar Library is home to the special collections, such as the Library of Things, and archives. The archives are a resource that preserves all primary sources related to WSU, the local region and the Wright Brothers.
Paul Laurence Dunbar Library also offers several events throughout the school year. There are Book Clubs to join, Crafternoon’s to attempt, and even an Archive Scavenger Hunt that rewards finishers with a T-shirt.
“We want the library to work for its students by all means,” Wildermuth said. “We are open 90 hours per week, open on weekends and certain holidays and have extended hours during finals to help our students succeed.”
