DURHAM, NH -- Take a snowy day, hundreds of busy students, some holiday cheer, and the results are magical. On Monday, December 15, 2003, which on the University calendar is ‘Reading Day’, Library staff and the members of the UNH Parents Association treated students to a “Library Study Break.” The event, which ran from 1-3 p.m., surpassed all expectations.

“It was unbelievable,” said Associate University Librarian Diane Tebbetts. “We served over 100 students in the first fifteen minutes.” We couldn’t make coffee fast enough,” she added.

The Library Study Break, conceived by the Library’s Service and Outreach Committee, was intended to give the students a much needed boost as they head into final exams. Over a third of the Library staff baked cookies, brownies and assorted goodies for the event. The Parents Association found out about the study break last semester and provided financial support for bottled water and plates of baked goods this time around. In addition, Green Mountain Coffee and Poland Springs Water contributed corporate support. The Committee had intended to serve students at Dimond Library and all four of the branch libraries, but curtailed operations limited efforts to Dimond and the Math-Engineering Library. Nevertheless, the staff volunteers who braved the elements to run the study break provided holiday treats to an estimated 800 students.

All totaled, students consumed over 100 dozen baked goods, 480 bottles of spring water, five pounds of pretzels, and eight pounds of coffee. There were no calls for decaf. “It was hard work,” said Jennifer Carroll, Electronic Resources Librarian, “but it was fun and rewarding – the students were so grateful and there were plenty of smiles to go around.” 

The snow may have contributed to the overall numbers, but the crowd of students in the library preparing for exams was impressive. Dimond Library delayed opening until 10 a.m. because of the snow, sleet and freezing rain. By 11:30 a.m., the gate count was 480 and by mid afternoon, that number had swelled to over 2000. But in addition to good grades, the hard working students were rewarded for their efforts. The volunteers overheard one student, her hands full of baked goods, say to a friend: “Finally, all of this time in the library is paying off.”

The Committee is planning another series of study breaks prior to exams next May – hopefully, snow will not be a problem.

Posted on Friday March 04 2005