MCC’s Libraries Provide Support to Students Throughout Pandemic

In the face of the pandemic, the Middlesex Community College Libraries responded to the needs of students, faculty and staff by overhauling their physical spaces and digital offerings. Throughout 2020 and the coronavirus, the Middlesex Libraries not only maintained – but improved upon – the quality and accessibility of their services and resources.

“The information professionals at the MCC Libraries guide students on their paths to success,” said Donna Maturi, MCC’s Director of Libraries. “We’re here to ensure the community gets the most from the Libraries’ virtual branch which has been loaded with course guides, eBooks and research guides by subject. In addition to helping students identify quality resources to inform their research, we offer online workshops, and help students acclimate to online platforms to become experts in their online courses.”

Ahead of the Fall semester, Library staff worked with faculty by phone, email and Zoom to help them reshape their courses for a full semester in an online setting. Their outreach throughout the community built valuable partnerships that helped develop a strong collegewide response to circumstances brought on by the pandemic.

Working with faculty, MCC Library staff edited and refined over 300 research guides, increased their eBook collection and databases to 134, and produced a collection of video tutorials that offer quick responses to questions students can reference called MCCLibVids. Library staff were also able to lead 200 instructional sessions in classrooms, allowing Library staff to directly reach over 3,000 students.

This continued access to services and resources played an important part in students’ success in their courses, including for Randi Froude – a Liberal Arts and Sciences major from Lillehammer, Norway. After reaching out to the Libraries for help on a psychology paper, a staff member met with her on Zoom to guide her through databases and how to cite her sources.

“It is incredibly important for students to have access to this kind of help from the Library,” Froude said. “Students are able to get in touch with a librarian who will patiently guide them in finding material they need for their projects – especially in the environment where all classes, and therefore all research, is done online.”

Tara Bartlett – a Business Administration Transfer major from Woburn – turned to the Library when she needed assistance working on projects. Finding the staff to be helpful, accessible and quick to respond, she was appreciative of their knowledge of MCC’s systems, professors and assignments. She also took advantage of the text and web chat options to meet with them.

“For first time students – and in a virtual setting – it’s important to have this system in place so you can continue to move forward with your assignments with confidence,” Bartlett said. “When I used the service, I was typically in the middle of completing something and was able to get assistance right away.”

Proving how valuable a resource they were to students, the Libraries welcomed almost 6,000 new patrons to their system. Results show that patrons used the Libraries’ search function – for books, articles and videos among other resources – over 350,000 times, and visited the Libraries’ website over 150,000 times to access research guides.

As a mother and full-time essential worker, it is important for Angelica Louis – a Health and Science major from Boston – to have these systems of support in place to meet her needs. She found the Library staff to be helpful – when she needed a document printed, but did not have time to visit during the normal scheduled hours, staff made sure she got what she needed.

“The Library staff recommended books and online tools to get my research paper completed,” Louis said. “Specifically, Ms. Jordana Shaw. She set aside time to join our Zoom class and always emailed me back to assist in any way possible.”

While most courses and services remained fully online, the Libraries also connected MCC community members to physical library materials by offering curbside and contactless pick-up.

Saimah Nfn – a Liberal Arts and Sciences student from Bedford –enjoyed how “convenient” the curbside and contactless pick-up options were. She was grateful to be able to take advantage of the Libraries’ printing services, which meant she did not have to worry about cost or her safety by going elsewhere.

“My experience with the Libraries has been great so far,” Nfn said. “I have been able to get my request for print-outs completed in no time by simply filling out a request sheet. Even at the last moment, the librarians were able to help me out. They made every effort to reach out to me when I had some issues with the file I sent – I appreciate them for their work.”

Visit https://libguides.middlesex.mass.edu/library for more information on how MCC’s Libraries help students reach success.

To register for Spring, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!