While campus may be quieter during the summer months, the Hiram College Library was anything but quiet behind the scenes.

Throughout the summer, a team of seven Hiram students took on projects ranging from reorganizing thousands of books to preparing an important archival collection for future researchers. Their work not only made significant progress on long-standing library projects but will also improve how students, faculty, staff, and researchers access and engage with library resources for years to come.

The summer student team included MacKenzie Norton, Kylee Neer, Destiny Howell, Ava Scott, Ava Westenfelder, Ella Campanalopez, and Chayse Barrett.

Improving Access to Library Collections

One of the summer’s largest projects focused on making the library’s collection easier to navigate and use.

MacKenzie Norton, Kylee Neer, Destiny Howell, and Ava Scott worked through the entire juvenile and children’s collection, reorganizing all 6,115 books to create additional room for browsing and future materials. They also shifted more than 11,000 books in the 300s section improving organization.

Another project focused on the library’s collection of 2,274 music scores. Following a review of the collection by library staff, students helped transfer 10 boxes of retained scores to the College’s Music Department, where they will support the department’s score library and provide greater access for students and faculty.

Preserving Hiram’s Connection to History

Students also played an important role in preparing a significant archival collection for future research.

Ella Campanalopez and Chayse Barrett worked on a major finding aid project for the Steven LaTourette archival collection. The 90-box collection contains materials from LaTourette, who represented Ohio’s 19th and 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2013. The collection was donated to Hiram with the understanding that it would become publicly available in 2027, making the work taking place this summer an important part of preparing for its eventual use by researchers.

Campanalopez and Barrett carefully reviewed and described folders throughout the collection, providing detailed information that will help future researchers more easily identify and locate relevant records within the extensive archive.

Connecting Students with the Library

The summer’s work extended beyond the library’s physical and archival collections. Ava Westenfelder helped transform the library’s public-facing communications, developing a social media plan for the fall semester, refreshing signage throughout the library stacks, and playing an instrumental role in updating the library’s website to create a more modern and student-friendly experience.

Her work also helped expand the library’s reach online. Engagement increased across both Facebook and Instagram, with one Reel reaching more than 3,500 views—nearly 10 times the library’s current Instagram following.

The redesigned library website launched on August 10 and will provide students with an updated digital experience as they prepare to return to campus for the fall semester.

Work That Will Last Beyond the Summer 

Together, the students tackled projects representing thousands of books, scores, archival records, and digital resources. More importantly, their work created improvements that will continue benefiting the Hiram community long after the summer ends.

The scope of their accomplishments also demonstrates the important role student employees play. Summer often provides an opportunity to tackle projects that can be difficult to complete during the academic year, but their size and complexity can make progress challenging. This year’s student team came ready to work. Their focus and dedication allowed the library to make meaningful progress across multiple projects while improving resources and experiences for the entire Hiram community.

By Jenelle Sanders