Winter Offerings at Penfield Library: Research Help, Games, and More

Winter Offerings at Penfield Library: Research Help, Games, and More

During the weeks when Winter Session courses are being held online and most students have left campus, Penfield Library remains open as a beacon of learning, community, and warmth on the SUNY Oswego campus. 

“It can be a pretty quiet time on campus,” said Assistant Library Director Emily Mitchell, “but the library stays open 8 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays during Winter Session so that everyone can still access our resources and services.” One exception to those hours is the week including December 25, when visitors are advised to call ahead before visiting Penfield Library. “We have a lot of librarians and staff members who want to take time off around the Christmas holiday, so hours and services may be limited that week,” Mitchell said.

Those who use Penfield Library regularly will still find their expected, regular services during winter break, though a few in-person services will move to by appointment only:

• Face-to-face research help from a librarian (in person or by Zoom) can be scheduled here
• Archives & Special Collections research room appointments can be scheduled here

For those who don’t want to schedule an appointment, winter research assistance is also available to all library users via email and online chat. 

“Librarians are absolutely still here to help you during winter break,” Mitchell said. No one should ever feel that they are imposing on librarians by asking a question, she added. Whether it’s hooking up to Penfield’s new collection of magazines, ebooks, and audiobooks that are available in the Libby app; looking for credible information sources; citing sources; or just figuring out who else to ask a question to, librarians are eager to lend a hand. “I usually tell people that if they’ve been stumped for 5 - 10 minutes, they should stop beating their head against a wall and come ask a librarian,” Mitchell said.

Something visitors to Penfield might not already know about is the fact that in addition to all the scholarly materials, there are also a jigsaw puzzle to solve and games to play, permanently set out on tables in the library. These are located on the east side of the library’s second floor (the side nearest Marano Campus Center), close to the library’s graphic novels and the young adult collection–both of which can also provide a fun break from studying. 

“We have a large selection of games and they are rotated on a weekly basis,” said Terri Muckey, the library’s acquisitions and collections associate. “We encourage you to take a break from studying when needed by crushing a friend at Jenga or Pictionary!” Other games in the rotation include Ultimate Werewolf, Cranium, Upwords, What Do You Meme?, and more. The games and puzzles help library visitors connect with friends old and new as they clear their minds before diving back into their research. They remain available for library visitors year round. 

Every visitor is welcome in the library, regardless of whether they’re a student, a faculty or staff member, an alum, or a member of the broader community. Winter break is a fantastic time for community members to take advantage of the library’s resources, since no parking permit is required to park on the SUNY Oswego campus during the break (December 14 - January 25). Visitors to Penfield Library are encouraged to park in lots E-31 and E-1, which are the closest lots to the library building. 

Community members can get a free Penfield Library borrowing card, take advantage of librarian assistance in researching a topic, use the library’s electronic resources via the computers in the library lobby, use the library scanners, and more. 

“Visitors who aren’t students, faculty, or staff can just stop by the front desk and ask for a borrowing card,” Mitchell said. “There’s a form to fill out, and you need photo ID, but it’s completely free.” The free borrowing card allows visitors to borrow up to 25 items at a time, including books, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays. Materials are due back to the library after 30 days. 

Visitors who are affiliated with other SUNY schools don’t even have to sign up for a community card; their existing SUNY school ID will already allow them to check out Penfield’s print books, just as the SUNY Oswego community can do with their Oswego IDs at other SUNY libraries. 

Full borrowing policies for all types of library cards are available here. 

“We’d love to see everyone in the library over Winter Session / winter break,” said Mitchell. “Check out a book for fun, play a game, research whatever obscure topic catches your fancy. If you’re on campus, stop by!”