The Library played host to some very special guests on Monday-Wednesday of Finals Week. Jake, a certified therapy dog and his owner/handler, retired Milligan College Biology Professor Dr. Julia Wade, were here for three mornings last week to help students cope with the potential stresses of final exams.

“In recent years, therapy dogs have been popular in educational settings,” says Dr. Wade. “Children who have trouble reading aloud in front of a class can read to a therapy dog without fear or anxiety. The dog does not judge or talk back, and is an excellent listener. They are counselors with fur! In 2009, colleges and universities started using therapy dogs to relieve stress in students studying for final exams.”

Jake is a Golden Retriever certified through Therapy Dogs International. He also passed the test to become an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen. Jake and Dr. Wade have been involved in this rewarding mission for about three and a half years.

“I wanted to combine my love of dogs with a respect and admiration for those in the medical profession by volunteering to visit hospital patients who might need an emotional lift. God’s Word teaches us that it is important to help those who are in need. About a month ago, I visited a lady from ETSU who said that they sometimes had therapy dogs come to their library the week of final exams to de-stress students preparing for those exams. It occurred to me that Jake might come to Milligan College for an hour or two during exam week and let the students pet him.”

“I am so glad that Dr. Wade contacted us about having Jake come to Milligan College,” said Gary Daught, director of the library. “He was an instant hit with the students! I hope Jake will come back and visit us again–maybe at the end of Spring semester.”

Beginning with a “Welcome Back” banner hung in front of the building, followed by handing out “6 Thing we can help you with TODAY” bookmarks and our newest library pens at New Student Orientation, and adding a subtle update to the library website (and library staff email signatures), the Milligan College Library launched its “It’s Your Library: …and so much more!” promotional campaign for the 2013-14 academic year.

“It’s Your Library!” is the brainchild of User Services Librarian, Jeff Harbin and Library Director, Gary Daught. “We will be hanging new banners throughout the year,” said Harbin. “We want to keep the consistent ‘It’s Your Library!’ branding, but highlight different library services we think our users find most valuable–things such as research assistance, study spaces, and MCSearch. The ‘and so much more!’ aspect stresses that the whole is greater than the sum of any one library service highlighted at the time. Plus there’s the relational aspect we value and are trying to promote. All library services at some level are delivered to our users by competent, helpful, and caring staff.”

“That’s right!” added Daught. “We wanted to create an attractive promotional vehicle to enhance the visibility of the library to Milligan students and faculty while also encouraging them to take a greater sense of ownership in the library. The library exists for our users. So we figured, instead of talking about ‘what the library can do for you’ we would talk about ‘what your library can do for you.’ It’s a small but important change. The services are the same, but the relationship with our users is strengthened.”

We’re very close to meeting the $10,000 goal of the Million Pennies Campaign! So close, in fact, that if every Milligan Library user contributed 25 cents, we could end the Campaign today!

Our campaign donations now total $9,185.04, thanks to the $68.77 donated in August 2013. Last month’s totals reflect an average contribution of around 2 cents per Library user. So contribute a quarter (or more!) and let’s build some momentum as we move closer to our $10,000 goal!

Bring your loose change (or cash or checks!) and drop it into the plastic cube at the Circulation Desk. When we reach our $10,000 goal, we’ll allow you, the contributors, to name a study room whatever you like in the newly renovated Library!** (If you’re not familiar with the Campaign, check out original post on the library blog.) We’ll do a count of new contributions around the first of each month this semester and announce the results here, as well as on Twitter, Facebook, and MilliganToday.

Flat broke? We will also take your unwanted but gently used books, textbooks, DVDs, Blu-Rays, and audiobooks for our Million Pennies Book Drive, which also benefits the Campaign. There’s a donation box in the library lobby. Thanks again, and please ask a member of library staff if you have any questions!
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** A note from Gary F. Daught, Director of Library Services: It is exciting to think that we are so close to our goal. Obviously, the Library renovation project will require significantly more than $10,000 to complete, and it is still awaiting major funding even after the initial phase of Milligan College’s Forward Ever capital campaign was successfully concluded in June 2011. The Million Pennies Campaign was launched concurrent with Forward Ever to engage our users–particularly students–in this project in a way that was meaningful, accessible, and concrete. It is a small but tangible way for everyone to show their support for the Milligan College Library. I want to ‘second’ Jeff Harbin in thanking everyone who has contributed their pennies to date. Let’s see if we can reach our goal before the end of the semester!