By Ashley Barazsu on December 1, 2008 1:14 PM
In my first semester at Emerson, I was assigned to research the thought processes and lifestyle habits of an extremely specific and distinct population in order to design a health campaign that would appeal to their interests. After being presented with this task, I immediately assumed I could just find this information on the internet, as with several of my other research assignments. Unfortunately, after several days and frustrating hours of searching, I came to the conclusion that this task was impossible. If I couldn't find this type of information on the internet, where else could I find it? When I consulted my program director, he immediately suggested for me to approach Emerson's librarians assuring me that they would be able to assist me with this information.
Initially, I was extremely skeptical, as my mind traced back to my days as an undergrad in which the librarians were available to answer any general administrative questions or direct me to an area of the library in which I would find a particular book. Nothing against them, but they were not expected to help the students with particular assignments or questions pertaining to projects.
Therefore, when I approached the reference desk in Emerson's library, I assumed that I would receive a similar response. To my surprise, I sat with the librarian and discussed my research question with her for a solid thirty minutes. Not only did she answer my question in its entirety, but from the moment I asked her for help, she was determined to stick with me until I found the answers to what I was looking for. Feeling guilty about taking up her time, I kept apologizing to her, to which she responded, "This is what I'm here for, and helping you makes me happy."
After my positive experience with the librarian, I decided to visit the library more often. Now, it is where I produce the majority of my work, and where I feel the most productive in the least amount of time. The most comforting thing, however, is that I feel comfortable approaching the librarians for any help, and they are always more than happy to assist me.
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