S. Kent Legare Library
Suffield’s S. Kent Legare Library is a beautiful space that contains 20,000-volumes, a multimedia center, the 100-seat Tisch Auditorium, and computer resources that include 55 Internet drop sites. Academic Dean Sara Yeager led Suffield’s’ search for a new library director in 2014. She noted that because the use of libraries continues to evolve, Suffield sought an educator with particular experience in utilizing technology. “The nature and focus of libraries have changed,” she said, “so the leader of the library must evolve and be familiar with curating sources and teaching students the essential skills for serious scholarship at Suffield, in college, and in their professional lives beyond college.” The search led to Kelli Tosone ’90, who became library director in September 2014. Kelli’s background included work as a classroom teacher, in the CREC Curriculum and Assessment Consortium, and leading a pilot program utilizing tablets to conduct research, design web quests, and integrate writing skills into curriculum. Sara Yeager commented, “The library remains a relevant and key place for students, and Kelli is a natural fit to take our library programming to the next level.” Among Kelli’s goals was making sure students felt comfortable stopping by whenever they had a free period or needed a break from the hustle and bustle of the Student Union. “The library is a great spot for students who may find other areas on campus too loud or distracting. This space opens up a different kind of social landscape for students and we want to encourage them to utilize it as often as possible,” Kelli explains. We also no longer have to worry upon entering a library that we will get “shushed” by the librarian. Kelli laughs at the antiquated notion. “Yes, that’s how they used to be,” she says, “but libraries no longer need to be completely quiet. They are transforming into open, welcoming places where learning and collaboration occurs.” Kelli’s role, like that of most library directors, evolves on a daily basis. In addition to making the library a welcoming space on campus, she ensures that its print and digital software are current and relevant to the needs of the students. Approximately one-third of the library’s total budget is spent on e-resources such as e-books and databases like JSTOR. Since every Suffield faculty member and student has access to more than 60,000 e-books via the library’s online portal (library.suffieldacademy.org), Kelli’s responsibilities are more hands-on than behind the desk. “When I was a classroom teacher, my favorite part of the day was helping students one-on-one with research projects,” Kelli explains, “and that’s really the most important skill library directors need to have.” She often finds herself advising students and helping navigate the intricacies of the many databases. For the sophomores in History Department Chair Bryan Brissette’s U.S. History class, learning how to use the library’s resources is crucial for their success. Yet because every student has a laptop and may be accustomed to the world of just ‘Googling’ whatever they need, whenever they need it, many of them have had little exposure to library databases. “The sophomore year is really about introducing them to the basics of research. Since it’s difficult for students at this stage to know where the starting point is, we teach them not only where to look for information, but how to look for it,” explains Bryan. “It can get overwhelming.” Like Kelli, Bryan emphasizes that the primary goal for the students is to learn good research habits regardless of whether the source is print or digital. Suffield’s ebrary database allows students to download pdf documents for two weeks. “They need to plan ahead and be efficient in their work, and this makes them accountable,” says Bryan. Learning about responsibility in research is perhaps the most important take-away for students. Citing sources can be tricky, and while each teacher at Suffield carefully covers the topic of plagiarism, Kelli plans to also include it as a key part of her library orientations. “With umbrella research databases like EBSCO that pull from a variety of sources, it’s essential for us to teach our students where their information originates.”
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SUFFIELD