The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library has partnered with the University to offer two extension branches on UT campuses to allow students to check out a collection of some 200 popular and best-selling books.
First-year pharmacy students Heather Dillinger, left, and Brittany Larkins checked out new books by Stephen King and Michael Flynn last week in the new Toledo-Lucas County Public Library section in Carlson Library.
UT students, faculty and staff can check out books at the designated Toledo-Lucas County Public Library areas in Carlson Library on Main Campus and Mulford Library on Health Science Campus. Both areas are identified with banners.
Officials from both UT and the public library want students and employees to have access to popular books in order to promote lifelong learning. Both entities point to a 2004 National Endowment for the Arts survey of literacy reading in America. The study revealed a high correlation between reading literary works and interest in civic and cultural engagement.
“The study also found the steepest decline in literary reading often occurred among those age 18 to 24, the very group that traditionally makes up the majority of college-age students,” said Dorcel Dowdell, main library manager.
Dr. John Gaboury, dean of University Libraries, added, “Our students, faculty and staff will enjoy being able to check out popular fiction and best-sellers. These are titles we typically do not purchase in academic libraries.
“We look forward to a long partnership with the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and the many benefits it will bring to the University and Toledo community,” he said.
UT students and employees need their ID to check out items from the popular book collection. The books will rotate every month so that new titles will be available.
