Hi everyone! My name is Robby and I am a student assistant for the periodicals unit in the Acquisitions department at Gleeson library. Ever since my freshman year, I have always studied in the library on all floors. To me, Gleeson serves as a place of collaboration between fellow classmates, a safe quiet space for those who need it and a place for active conversation between friends in between studying. It only makes sense that I would do anything to be able to work at the place that I have always cherished. Being able to work in person at such an interesting place has been a unique experience and something that I will always carry with me post-undergrad. An even more unique experience has been finishing up my last year at USFCA now working remotely from home for the library.
Working at home has been a change for me since normally my job requires me to assist in processing print newspapers, academic journals, etc. – a physical process! As a result of being unable to be physically at the library, I have instead been doing a lot of more work with our library databases. Databases are organized collections of data, along with articles and other research material, collected and stored ready to be accessed from a computer anywhere in the world. Library databases provide access to many educational and academic platforms and other e-resources for USF students, professors and staff. As an environmental science student who conducts scientific research for my classes, being able to access our databases is extremely fundamental to my education. My work with the databases has made me far more knowledgeable about all the various types of library resources available.
Now, you may ask, what exactly do I do with the databases? Well, I check off-campus access to ensure accessibility and note any potential errors that may come up. I help to make sure the bridge between students and the services being offered are up-to-date and working! My favorite database has been the Ethnic NewsWatch database, especially looking at news about my own ethnicity. I also find Asian American Society: an encyclopedia to be a great resource to read on the side. Hopefully everyone in need of accessing library databases are able to do so soon from the comfort of their homes. If you have any trouble, let us at Gleeson know! Report a problem and we’ll figure out how to help.