Pointlife
Hootenanny ushering the Learning Resource Center into its heyday
The Pointer
hshee298@uwsp.edu
A scene is usually set quite vividly in one’s mind when the word “library” is used: musty reserves with stringent, eyebrow furrowing rules and knobby fingers pushing a tired pair of spectacles upward.
On Thursday, Sept. 17, this long-time perception of “library” is about to be obliterated as the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Learning Resource Center (LRC) puts on a shindig called Hootenanny.
This Hootenanny will take place in the library’s main lobby from noon until 5 pm. This Hootenanny will include live music, Nintendo Wii gaming and lots of food and an opportunity for students to see the broad scope of resources the library now offers.
Andy Pech, coordinator of the Main Desk and Outreach at the UWSP LRC, believes he has witnessed a great tragedy upon watching students file in and out of the university without utilizing all the resources available at their fingertips. Pech hopes that his brainchild, the Hootenanny, will get students into the library early in the year and acquainted with its resources in time to use them.
“Casual orientations for the Tutoring-Learning Center, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, Information Technology services, Idea Studio, Archives, Instructional Materials Center, Museum of Natural History and Food for Thought Café will be taking place to showcase the unconventional selections each offers. And with new students coming in every year, I’m aiming for the Hootenanny to become annual,” said Pech.
Especially highlighted will be the new technology and new society coming into play. On the technology end, students will be able to explore their options in purchasing laptops from IT services as well as using digital cameras, video cameras and digital printing. Group study rooms have also received technological makeovers and now boast 50-inch flat screen monitors. A special group study room, the Idea Studio located on the first floor next to the circulation desk is now not only open for group think sessions and practicing giving presentations, but is also used for team-building Wii sessions to help any organization or group bond together.
A new society is also emerging during the Hootenanny called the Song Readers Society. This society is designed to be a “community of people who enjoy music and like to talk about it,” commented Pech. Students who chose to join this society will borrow a pre-synced iPod from the library with musical selections featuring The Rolling Stones, Celtic music, The Clash, Bob Dylan and others. The group will meet five times and carry on a blog to discuss their thoughts about the music. Seminars will be given by Professor David Arnold, Professor John Coletta, Andy Pech and Professor Tom Reich to further impress the context of the music and its cultural significance.
Through this society, and through more open mic poetry nights and literature, music or film based speakers, Pech wants to encourage the deep thought processes that he believes universities should foster in and out of the classroom.
There will be live and local musicians on stage in the lobby including Black Spruce Swamp Stomp and Russell Pedersen and Collin Mettelka. Also, craziness might just manifest itself when you find out that the gloom entrenched library you once envisioned is in fact a vital and fun place you treasure.
