Do you feel loved or let down?

Dear Reader,

Once again, this Valentine’s season, we are offering the chance to write a letter to the library, to give us your feedback and thoughts!

Save the date: Tuesday, 10th February

11AM – 3PM

Augustine House library, ground-floor foyer.

Event poster made by library staff on Canva.

You can’t miss us; we will be near the entrance!

Take a token of our love

In thanks for your feedback, we will be offering a sweet treat for anyone who joins in!

Can’t make the day? Too busy indulging in some chocolates?

Library letter template created on Canva by library staff

Remember, our library feedback form is also available all year round if you have the urge to share some thoughts later on.

Photograph taken by the library team of the Valentine’s letter writing event set-up in 2023.

Although Valentine’s Day generally spurs emotions of love and appreciation, please don’t feel too whisked up in the romance of it all and feel pressure to only highlight the good! We want to know if any elements of the library leave you feeling let down. How can we elevate your experience?

This is your space, and we want you to shape it! All suggestions are welcome.

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The Library has listened…

Your feedback really does drive change in the Library. Here are some recent examples:

Stressless events

We regularly gather positive comments from our feedback events that highlight the socialising aspect of the library, like the community spaces and Stressless area. In response to this, stressless events have become a monthly occurrence that offer the opportunity to take a breather from your studies and dabble in some crafts.  

The StressLess zone is on the second floor, in the open space atrium and is held monthly on a Tuesday or Thursday. The themed events are open to anyone who wants to drop in and get involved between 2pm and 5pm!

Some recent examples of themes are sustainability, with activities like making seed bombs and upcycled coasters, and mindfulness, with activities like painting and zine-making.

Photograph taken of a recent stressless event

We truly want to make the library a student-centred space, and your well-being is an important priority to our library staff. Stressless has been created with you in mind to give a peaceful respite from the pressure of study. Using your brain more creatively also encourages more critical and innovative thinking (Hamid Musa and Novikokva 2024), so if the idea of a study break doesn’t entice you enough, the arts and crafts may generally boost your academic success too!

AI Guidance

There is often positive feedback that centres around the range of learning resources provided to students. Therefore, the Learning Skills Team are continually improving guidance to ensure all these resources are accessible and used to their fullest potential.

The AI guidance has been updated to explain how AI tools can be optimised for your learning. In a world that is rapidly evolving technologically, we understand that this can feel anxiety-inducing. Hopefully, this guidance provides some understanding of how best to navigate if, how, and when it’s appropriate to use generative AI alongside your studies at CCCU.

In a climate where sustainability practices are vital, the Learning Skills Team have also included new information to spread awareness about the impact of generative AI. Therefore, ethical choices can be made if you decide to use these tools to complement, not replace, your learning.

Volunteering to be a Library Champion

For an opportunity to become more involved in the student community and make a further impact on improvements to the library, we would love volunteers for the role of Library Champions. Students would work alongside the Library Services team to represent student voices, develop services and enhance employability skills.

Volunteering is a great way to really make the most of your university experience by diving into the community and building your own skills along the way. You would strengthen communicative, marketing, and IT skills, as well as many more!

Press this button below to find out more details about the role and how to apply:

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Did you know…

About Chaucer’s link to Valentine’s Day?

Geoffrey Chaucer is the famous poet who wrote ‘The Canterbury Tales’ and has consequently shaped the rich literary history of Canterbury. It is theorised that he was largely the ‘original mythmaker’ of Valentine’s association with romantic love (Oruch 1981). His poem ‘Parlement of Foules’ linked the 14th of February to the mating season of birds. In succession, Valentine’s day has spiralled into a celebration full of chocolate, flowers, and romantic gestures.

For a further deep dive into Chaucer’s work, we have some books and journals available on LibrarySearch and in Augustine House library to explore.

For example:

The Riverside Chaucer  

Classmark: 821.1 CHA 

Screenshot of book cover taken from CCCU LibrarySearch 

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In closing…

There is a certain emotional release in the transfer of thoughts to pen to paper, and we hope the words tumble out. Letter writing is a practice that allows for a pause in the whirlwind of your academic journey, and in opening your mind to the details of the everyday, you may see that the library doesn’t have to be a static background setting. By lingering on the details, such as what study space helps you focus or what could be improved, the library can move in parallel alongside your academic endeavours, adapting and moulding to the study experience you desire.

Valentine’s is one of the final celebrations before spring, and by releasing your reflections and feedback, we welcome in the abundant season with lots of growth to come, both inside and outside the library.

Happy Valentines!

Photograph of our letterbox for the event

References

• Oruch, J.B. (1981). St. Valentine, Chaucer, and Spring in February. Speculum, 56(3), pp.534–565.
• Hamid Musa, Mohamed & Novikova, Irina. (2024). THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CREATIVITY AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS AMONG STUDENTS.