The initial purpose of the Ewha Library Supporters is to promote the Central Library as a crucial component in the students’ academic life on campus. With a total of 15 student members, the Ewha Library Supporters meet once a month to organize library events, such as the 2015 Library Infinite Challenge, and discuss different ways to improve library services. Led by Ryu Seung-yoon, a library administrator, the student supporters spend one school year trying to establish a more dynamic interaction between students and the library.
“When I first became a supporter, I was under the impression that I would be merely assisting simple tasks in the library,” noted supporter Park Eun-gyu, a student in the Division of Environmental and Food Science. “However, as supporters, we were able to freely share our ideas and develop them into actual events for Ewha students.”
To start off the year, the supporters helped advertise library events by posting flyers around campus and working as “quiz girls” for the 2015 Library Infinite Challenge in May. The Library Infinite Challenge, one of the biggest events held by the library so far this year, allowed students to run around the library to complete different missions including an OX quiz. The event was able to attract 300 participants, making it a huge success.
Also, the supporters surveyed Ewha students about the library, in which students shared their personal opinions and suggestions for improvements that could be made. This helped the supporters understand what they could do to help students more effectively.
In May, the student supporters additionally hosted a Relay Fiction Event, where students completed a story together by each writing one sentence after another. The event was especially notable because it was an independent project carried out by the student supporters.
During the summer, the library supporters also went off-campus to pursue their duties. They visited the Seoul Metropolitan Library in celebration of its new exchange agreement in which the two libraries will now be able to share documents and various materials.
“Working as a supporter this semester, I was surprised at how many Ewha students participated in both the 2015 Library Infinite Challenge and the Relay Fiction Event,” supporter Park said. “Personally, I especially enjoyed the Relay Fiction Event because the stories completed by students were so entertaining.”
As for the next semester, the library supporters have already planned various new programs and events. One of the upcoming events in September is the new library tours that will be provided in Korean, Chinese, English and Japanese. Supporters are also busy creating a UCC advertising the school library to students.
Also, supporters are very passionate about the new programs that are soon to be launched.
“As a library supporter, I would like to continuously bring forth fun new activities to meet the expectations and enthusiasm Ewha students showed us in our previous events,” Park remarked.
Son Young-chai
squares@ewhain.net