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Belonging by Design: �The Academic Library as a �Place of Care and Connection

La’Metria Carlton, Library Patron Support & Resource Sharing Assistant

& Diane Kolosionek, Head of Research & Liaison Services

Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University

ALAO PROMIG Snapshots of Success – June 3, 2026

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Mister Rogers Committee

Mission: To foster a thriving culture of kindness, connection, and belonging within the library

Members

Amanda Goodsett (co-lead)

Marsha Miles (co-lead)

Sarah Benedict

La’Metria Carlton

Theresa Nawalaniec

Benjamin Richards

Elizabeth Piwkowski

Brandon Walker

Michael Skor

Scott Vine

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Collaboration Makes the Work Stronger

Library

Wellness

Accessibility

Student Success

Community

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Reimagining a Space for Student Wellness

Before	After
Rarely used	Multi-purpose wellness space
Minimal furnishings	Comfortable and calming environment
Primarily for prayer accommodation	Meditation, mindfulness, therapy sessions, and reflection
Limited engagement	Increased accessibility and wellness support

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Our Current Initiative

Increase student engagement by creating a library environment that feels:

Safe
Welcoming
Supportive
Student-centered

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Turning Ideas into Action

Big Ideas

Feasibility

Student Impact

Sustainable Projects

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Building Community Through Conversation

Interactive Whiteboards

Designed to:

Encourage student interaction
Promote belonging
Gather feedback
Create low-pressure engagement opportunities

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Wellness Kits for Anywhere in the Library

Developed with campus partners

Under a $200 budget

3 types:

Art

Stress Relief

Puzzle

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Promotion

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Low-Cost, High-Impact Engagement

Informal Enrichment Spaces:

Puzzle table
Free table

Observations:

Students returned regularly
Positive word-of-mouth engagement

To measure organic student interest before expanding initiatives

Our committee gauges interest in new ideas through simple, low-cost projects, relying on organic participation and word-of-mouth feedback. This helps us see what resonates with students and determine whether an idea has long-term potential, as demonstrated by our enrichment tables, the puzzle table, and the free table. The puzzle table gives students a casual opportunity to take a short mental break, collaborate with others, or simply engage in a relaxing activity between classes. The free table provides students with access to needed items, promoting sharing, sustainability, and community. We stock it with excess supplies and unclaimed lost-and-found items (over one year old), timing availability to coincide with orientations, tours, midterms, and finals. This initiative continues to evolve as we learn more about what students need from their library spaces

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Student Wellness Event

Collaboration between CSU’s Counseling Center and the Michael Schwartz Library

Planning Committee Members:

Marissa Dongarra (Doctoral Student-Counseling)
Jo Corrigan
Tracy Kemp
Diane Kolosionek
Barb Loomis
Marsha Miles
Theresa Nawalaniec

Speaker – Dr. Liz Goncy (Associate Professor, Psychology)

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Short Presentation by Psychology Faculty

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Campus Resource Tables

Academic Support Hub
Counseling Center
Library
Writing Center

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Stress Relief/

Wellness Stations

Affirmations/Stickers
Art/Coloring
Buttons/Button-Making
Gratitude Wall
Grow Your Own Herbs
Snacks
Survey
Therapy Dog

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National Library Week Theme: Find Your Joy!�BOOK DISPLAY

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Reflections: “Find Your Joy” Event

Challenges

Low attendance: only about ten students participated

Reduced library foot traffic due to 1st floor closure from water damage
Timing conflicts: held during National Library Week late in April, amid high end-of-semester student workload and stress

Successes

Strengthened relationships with campus partners
Money/resources were not wasted

Leftover snacks offered to students during finals
Materials (art supplies, buttons, stickers, etc.) will be reused for future programming and orientations

Marketing reinforced the library as a supportive, human-centered space
Generated new ideas and momentum for future events
Identified opportunity to offer similar programming earlier in the Fall semester for greater impact

Reflecting on the event, the biggest disappointment was low turnout. No more than ten students participated. Sadly, parts of the library’s first floor have been closed for months due to water damage, reducing student traffic. Additionally, the event was scheduled during National Library Week, which fell later than usual in April this year. When planning student events, consider the academic calendar and students’ workload at the end of a semester.

But, the event WAS successful in other ways. It strengthened relationships with campus partners like the Counseling Center. The money spent was not wasted. Leftover snacks were offered to students during finals week. Materials like buttons and stickers will be used for student orientations. Marketing efforts reinforced the library as a supportive, human-centered space. The planning process generated many new ideas that we are eager to implement. We plan to host a similar event early in the Fall semester when more new students are on campus.

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Closing Slide