Pretty much every library has books. So does the Morgan Library, but it also has a 3D object scanner, a meditation room, state and county parks passes, more chargers than anyone would ever need and an extensive collection of cat-centric yearbooks.
The more than 120 students and 80 full-time employees at the Colorado State University Libraries want students to know about the unique things that are available for free. The vast majority of resources and services are available to students at no cost because of the student tuition and fees, as well as university funding.
Ahead of the start of the fall semester, SOURCE talked to some of those employees about their hacks for making the most out of this campus resource.
Javier Godinez
An Adobe subscription can be expensive. That’s why this journalism student said he was excited to learn there are multiple computers in the Morgan Library that have Adobe Creative Suite, which includes popular industry-standard graphic design and editing programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
These computers are in the first-floor computer lab at Morgan Library.
There are also editing bays nearby with access to video editing programs that can be reserved online.
Javier Godinez, a senior journalism and media communications major, works at the Morgan Library.
Anna Matl
This might not apply to a certain class, but Matl said the Morgan Library has each year of the Cat Fancier’s Association Yearbook since 1979 – her favorite year of the publication. She said that it’s also rare for anyone to check them out. The yearbooks are a good reminder that if you take the time to browse the stacks, you might just find something that sparks joy.
“Look for Mini-Burger, he’s the best cat,” she said.
In addition, she said one of her favorite resources is the meditation room on the second floor of the library. Students spend long hours studying and focusing in the library, so a quiet space to take a break and reflect, meditate, or pray can help keep you balanced.
Anna Matl, a senior health and exercise sciences major, poses with a yearbook photo of Mini-Burger (the best cat)
Kaitlyn Weber
Weber said many people don’t know that the Morgan Library has state park passes ready for weeklong checkout. These won’t get you into Rocky Mountain National Park or county parks like Horsetooth Mountain Park, but it does work for Lory State Park.
“There’s a misconception people have to pay to get stuff from the library,” she said. “It’s totally free.”
Another perhaps surprising thing she’s noticed people don’t utilize from the library enough?
“Honestly it’s just checking out actual books in general,” she said.
Kaitlyn Weber, a senior ecosystem sciences major, shows the park passes available for checkout at the library.
Maddy Kling
Over the summer, Kling said the library’s 25 study rooms (which are reservable online), received fancy new screen-sharing technology. This means people can wirelessly cast presentations and videos on the screen from their smartphones or laptops.
She also is a fan of the red room on the library’s third floor.
“The walls are red, the furniture is red, and the light goes in there after noon and turns red,” she said.
Maddy Kling works at the Loan and Reserve Desk at the Morgan Library on Aug. 16.
A look at the “Red Room” on the third floor of the Morgan Library.
Photo | Jenna Allen
Matching student needs with library technology
A big part of Kevin Kirkpatrick’s job is finding ways for students to use new technology that can help them succeed in their classes and prepare them for their careers.
Some of the items he highlighted included a Bluetooth keyboard that can pair with phones and iPads, a mini-projector, and camcorders that are freeze-proof, shockproof and waterproof. There are also portable power banks that can be checked out for week-long adventures.
“The availability for all of these items is online,” Kirkpatrick said. “There is real-time availability on the website, and if you hit refresh, it will show you what’s ‘no longer available’ in the moment.”
More than 20,000 chargers were checked out from the library the school year before the COVID-19 pandemic. These chargers include ones for iPhones and Androids, well as any kind of laptop and even Apple Watches.
To see what technology is available at the Morgan Library, click or tap here: https://col.st/TrKwy
