Students may have noticed a different atmosphere in the 2nd floor of the UC Merced Library. Over the winter holiday a new service desk that provides students with I.T. support was built next to the Library Services desk.
The new I.T. Express desk is a collaborative effort between UC Merced Library administration and the UC Merced I.T. department who both conceptualized the space as a means to help students make their academic work flow easier.
Elizabeth Salmon, Access Services Librarian stated that, “Chief Information Officer Ann Kovalchick approached Associate University Librarian of Operations Eric Scott last spring about the possibility [of creating] a single service point in the Library.” According to Salmon, the goal is to create a welcoming atmosphere and a convenient “one stop shop” for students.
There are between 600-700 students in the library at any one time during the day, making it difficult for library staff to answer every question and who, previously, had to refer students to go outside of the library for I.T. support. Furthermore being a 21st century institution where technology and research go hand in hand, teaming up with I.T. was a win-win.
Gone is the long desk that stationed the library student employees, and now there are two desks that combine I.T. expertise with the Library’s customer service philosophy. The new I.T. Express desk is intended to be a versatile resource that helps students with a variety of technical problem ranging from Wireless Setup to VPN Configuration, and they can also assist with software installs and system updates.
For individuals who need more in depth technical support, University I.T. help headquarters is still on the first floor of the COB building, COB 132.The I.T. Express desk is open from 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Alexis Avila
aavila27@ucmerced.edu