Copley & Student Support Services Virtual Summer Bridge Program 2020

Copley Library has partnered with Student Support Services (SSS) on its robust no-cost Summer Bridge program since 2012. SSS supports and serves students who are first-generation, low-income, have a documented disability, and/or identify with another underrepresented group.  Summer Bridge participants are able to familiarize themselves with the USD campus before other students arrive, create meaningful new friendships and connections with fellow classmates as well as USD faculty and staff, participate in social events, and learn tools to bolster their student success from their first day through graduation. This year eighty Summer Bridge students spent the week of Saturday, August 8, through Friday, August 14, 2020, learning about and engaging with USD’s myriad resources including Career Services; OneStop Student Center; The Writing Center; McNair Scholars; the Office of Undergraduate Research; Undergraduate Admissions; Office Financial Aid; Associated Student Government; Student Wellness; Black Student Resource Commons; United Front Multicultural Commons, Women’s Commons, LGBTQ+ & Allies Commons; Residential Life; the Office of the Vice President and Provost; and us.

Summer Bridge 2018 Amazing Race

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  Summer Bridge 2020 Zoom

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  Summer Bridge 2020 Zoom

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  Summer Bridge 2020 Zoom

In years past, Copley focused on an immersive experience in our physical space through scavenger hunts and other activities that required participants to use library resources, talk with Library faculty and staff, and navigate the building. This year, in light of the pandemic restrictions and limitations, we transformed our program to an entirely virtual experience. Our event featured two distinct assignments for participants to complete to help them learn about the vast resources and services Copley Library offers to help students succeed at USD. They also competed for a chance to win UberEats gift cards.

First, students were asked to complete an asynchronous self-guided virtual tour and tutorial created by our Access and Outreach Librarian, Christopher Marcum. The tutorial introduced the students to Library resources and services and prepared them for the final assignment. On the afternoon of August 11th, they joined the Access and Outreach Services Librarian on Zoom for a fun competition. Students were divided into 16 teams of 5 students each. The teams were then given forty-five minutes to create a promotional video, flyer, or other marketing tools for their favorite library resource or service based on what they learned from the tutorial. Each team presented their completed projects to the entire group and participants voted for their favorite two projects. Members of the winning two teams (ten students total) were each awarded a $25.00 UberEats gift card for their efforts. 

“Team Undecided”‘s rap about accessing eBooks through ProQuest won first place!

Some groups highlighted our Research Guides

And others chose to feature Ask A Librarian

This year’s virtual event was challenging, but also especially rewarding and fun! All the students did an excellent job reflecting on what they had learned about Copley Library and translating that knowledge into creative and engaging Library promotions. We can’t wait to do it again next year!

To learn about the Summer Bridge Program and its requirements, check out their website at https://www.sandiego.edu/student-support-services/summer-bridge.php. You can also connect with Copley Library and SSS on Instagram.

Our Friends, Associated Students

The Associated Students Leadership Team is the official representative of the University’s undergraduate students, “who promote opportunities for growth and expression, address student issues, and enrich a diverse, inclusive, and engaged community.”  Associated Students is also a longtime friend and supporter of Copley Library. As finals are only two weeks away, we thought it the perfect time to highlight three significant ways Associated Students supports its student body through Library events and resources.

Finals Week Refreshments:

Copley Library has a 24 hour, 7 day schedule at the end of every semester to support our students’ study needs leading up to and during finals week. During these extended hours Associated Students supplies a cornucopia of food, fruit, and candy to boost students’ energy and morale.

Spring 2018 Finals Week snack display. 

Look for the snack table just inside the Library’s entrance starting Monday, December 10^th.

Circulating materials:

Have you ever been in the library and forgot your phone or computer charger? Ever left your calculator for an important test at home? Associated Students has you covered! Students can check out these items, and more from our Access Services Desk. Just last week Associated Students purchased numerous new chargers and headphones to meet student demand. See the full list of items and related borrowing policies here.

Student Assistant Carolina Arellano with Associated Students supplied headphones and iPhone charger in the Mother Hill Reading Room. 

Textbook Reserves:

The newest initiative is the Associated Students Textbook Reserve collection. The collection is comprised of undergraduate textbooks costing $100 or more, for courses with two or more sections. Titles will be added and editions updated on an ongoing basis. To check if your textbook is on reserve, provide the author, title, ISBN, or course name to any Library Assistant at the Access Services Desk. At the time of this writing the collection has over 125 individual titles, and multiple copies of the most used textbooks. During Fall 2018 alone there have been 388 individual students who have checked out textbooks from the collection more than 800 times!

A small selection of the AS Textbook Reserves collection.

For more information on Associated Students and all they do, visit their website: https://www.sandiego.edu/associated-students/. Copley Library’s 24/7 schedule begins at 7am on Monday, December 10th and ends at 9pm on Friday, December 21st.