Laupus Library heartens students through their hardest trials
Students love donuts. Especially this one who thanked Laupus with a cool Instagram post.
Today you can almost hear a pin drop over the soft hum of computers and a muted conversation between two staff members in Laupus Library. What a drastic contrast the space was to what only days earlier had been a busy hub of student activity as they filled every study room, carrel and quiet space to study.
Laupus Library successfully championed another class of students through final exams.
Sarah Eagle, a junior in the College of Nursing, said one of the reasons she comes to Laupus to study is because of its size. “It’s a bit smaller and there are more people here in the same field. If you have a question, most of the time someone close by studying is usually in the same major and can help.”
“Plus, I feel like the people who work here care about us,” she said. “Like this morning, there were a bunch of donuts upstairs.”
A bunch indeed; in fact 300 donuts were devoured by students on reading day and it was a close call for Finley, a 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, whose sweet kisses and rubs were consumed by the same group.
The paws of pet therapy dog, Finley rarely touched the floor during his visit to the library. Instead he spent most of his time in the arms of students who needed a little comfort and had a hard time putting him down. (Photos by Michelle Messer and Kelly Rogers Dilda)
Later that evening Argos, an American Staffordshire Terrier, visited students who also needed a quick break for some pet therapy and puppy love.
“I come to this library purposely during finals week because of the crafts and snacks they plan,” said Margaret Barry, graduating senior in the College of Nursing. “It makes us feel better, like we are being looked after and not forgotten during the hard times. Some of us are struggling, so the ‘Hey, we are looking out for you,’ and the ‘We want you to do well,’ support means a lot.”
Chancellor and Mrs. Cecil Staton walked through every floor of the library to personally distribute cookies to every student and offer kind words of guidance and encouragement.
On Thursday, April 26, Chancellor and Mrs. Cecil Staton made a special visit to the library and delivered cookies and coffee, and interacted with students during their stay.
Barry said the visit showed her the chancellor cares about everyone’s individual success. “There are like 30,000 students at ECU but he and Mrs. Staton took their time at this library to single everybody out, and to shake our hands and say hello,” she said.
“He was very personable and kind and seemed interested in our futures. He also asked about our plans for jobs. To make the effort to come all the way over to this side of the campus was really nice.”
Megan Sands, graduating senior in the College of Nursing, said the words of encouragement by Chancellor and Mrs. Staton mean a lot. “I’ve noticed that they do take their time, several times throughout the semester, to really get to know the students and interact with us.”
Some students seemed a bit starstruck to meet the chancellor for the first time.
“It shows that they are trying to get to know us and not just fulfill their duties to the university but also to the students. The mood and energy in the library is a lot lighter just from this interaction.”
Twenty-five pizzas were delivered and served to students later that evening and kept them fueled for all-night cramming.
ECU Dining Services’ CRAMcart made a few stops at the library throughout the week and offered free healthy snack options to students. And Campus Recreation and Wellness staff from the Division of Student Affairs hosted a day of wellness on the library’s second floor.
A coloring station and other calming activities were offered to those who needed a quick break, and one last visit from Argos helped push students through to the end.
Laupus also presented extra boosts to support the endurance needed for long study hours by offering free healthy and savory snacks each day.
“Laupus Library shows that they care about our well-being, especially during finals when mental health is something that is very important,” said Sands. “There is a lot of stress; we are all worried about passing our finals, getting good grades, and it shows that they are thinking about us when we aren’t even thinking about ourselves.”
-by Kelly Rogers Dilda, University Communications