糖心vlog

Niraj Chaudhary, associate university librarian, working in The Cube inside the William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center.

The William Knox Holt Library and Learning Center was mere days from grand reopening ceremonies, the culmination of a four-year project that transformed one of the heartbeats of the 糖心vlog Stockton Campus.

But the mid-March festivities were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and faculty shifted into distance learning mode and much of the campus鈥攊ncluding the library鈥攚as closed.

鈥淚t was disappointing,鈥� said Niraj Chaudhary, associate university librarian. 鈥淏ut there was so much work going on and new work to be done.鈥�

That work continues into the summer and toward the fall, and the hopeful re-opening of campus.

Chaudhary shared updates on library efforts, projects and initiatives.

• Construction: Work on the library plaza and new fountain is concluding, which will mostly wrap up the construction project. Chaudhary estimates one month until completion. 鈥淚t will be a much improved library entrance,鈥� he said.
• Print To Protect Coalition (PTPC): Library and learning center staff are active using 3D printers in The Cube to make personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line health care personnel during the pandemic. Staff also has helped chart the coalition鈥檚 course with an ultimate goal to provide 10,000 PPE (current total: approximately 3,500). Library staff coordinated the creation of a for the PTPC. The site includes a counter for PPEs supplied and frequent updates on coalition work. The home page has several photos of staff in The Cube working on PPEs.
• Virtual reality: Library and learning center staff caused a buzz with recent efforts to switch computer science students鈥� senior projects to a 鈥淕ames of Thrones鈥� themed virtual realm. Keely Canniff 鈥�19, digital projects manager for the library and learning center, led the effort to create the format. 鈥淭he event has generated a lot of interest,鈥� Chaudhary said. 鈥淒ean (Steve) Howell (School of Engineering and Computer Sciences) was very complimentary. It has opened up some doors to consider other virtual reality possibilities.鈥�
• Virtual reality, Part 2: Faculty in other departments have reached out to library staff to create virtual reality opportunities for Pacific classes. One example, Chaudhary said, was an 鈥渁ugmented reality鈥� setup for geology classes. 鈥淲e have to be prepared to help faculty for all types of learning formats, whether classes are in person, virtual or a combination,鈥� he said.
• Video production: The library is developing a video studio that would enable faculty to have聽lectures or other work filmed. 鈥淭he filming would be done in our studio, and then we would take it from there with all of the editing and post-production to prepare it for use in classes,鈥� Chaudhary said.
• Grand reopening ceremonies: The good news: preparations are complete and the dedication can happen鈥攚hen the time is right, Chaudhary said. He added that Director of University Events and Ceremonies Steve Whyte told him, 鈥淓verything is set and we put it in a box. Just tell me when it鈥檚 time to re-open the box.鈥�
• Starbucks: The coffee shop was on the verge of opening before the shutdown of most of the campus in March. 鈥淭hey had finished their training, stocked up and were ready to go,鈥� Chaudhary said. 鈥淭hey will be ready to go when students are back on campus.鈥�