Beyond Books: What Can the Library Do For You?

Columbia College Chicago’s Library is a mecca for resources — all designed to meet the academic and informational needs of students. From CDs to sheet music, heavy leather-bound tomes to electronic media, you can find anything you need to be informed and live intellectually. (Hey! That’s two of the nine Columbia Principles for Student Success! How about that?)

The Career Collection is on the second floor and offers information on everything from networking to finding the perfect job. Looking for back issues of Vogue? Want to read about the extracurricular pursuits of Vladimir Nabokov? The library has you covered. On the off chance that the library doesn’t have what you’re looking for, the InterLibrary Loan Service provides access to materials either online or from other libraries at no cost.

One of the most valuable assets of the library is not its collections, but its staff. “In addition to knowing about library issues, our staff understands the disciplines taught here. We have backgrounds in fashion, creative writing, photography, film, and other fields our students pursue,” said Kim Hale, Head of Library Marketing, Outreach & Special Initiatives. Students can sign up for a research consultation if they need additional guidance with researching a topic in-depth, chat online with librarians on the library website, and even take classes taught by librarians to coincide with an instructor’s class projects.

What else you ask? There are exhibits, including the spring exhibition Art in the Library, and arts’ initiatives like The Big Read. Don’t forget about the nooks, crannies, desks and study rooms, which provide a space for you to get work done and avoid the siren’s call of your Xbox. If you tire of studying, take a seat in the viewing areas where you can watch the thousands of movies and visual media available. How’s that for media at your fingertips?

For more information, visit lib.colum.edu, call (312) 369-7900, or just stop by 624 S. Michigan Ave. We promise you won’t be disappointed.