If you don’t know what an electronic resources librarian is or does, you may be cheating yourself out of valuable help you don’t know exists.
Electronic Resources Librarian Brian Fulton is a valuable resource for students in chemistry, biochemistry, computer science, mass communications and design, mathematics, physics and social work. However, he is ready to aid every student, no matter the major, who is seeking assistance with research, finding sources or navigating the online catalog for assignments.
He also works with the companies that run the service systems to make sure everything is up-to-date and working.
Fulton’s office is located on the second floor of the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library, where he has been an employee for a little more than two years. Before that, Fulton gained experience working in the public memorial library in the Back Mountain, as a reference assistant in the library at Penn State University and, even as an undergraduate, at his school’s local library. His experience with both public and academic libraries has given him the ability to be a helping hand to students, and faculty, who need assistance with research.
“As the electronic resources librarian, I work with all of our e-resources, like our databases, the catalog and anything electronic that accesses the internet from the computers here at the library. So, I can show the students how to use them, same with faculty and staff,” Fulton said.
Fulton stresses that he can help students with numerous tasks, such as homework and papers, along with simple things such as answering questions and helping with anything that involves e-resources. That means Fulton can help students locate needed sources easily, preventing them from potentially wasting hours doing it alone.
“We can help you. We’re here to help. That’s the major thing here at the library — that we’re here to help everybody with anything you’re looking for: course assignments, general leisure reading, helping formulate ideas, working on keywords and showing you how to come up with a way to successfully search. We are here to help you focus on what you’re looking for, where to start and how to use it efficiently. Just don’t be afraid to ask,” Fulton said.
Fulton would love to see more students utilize his sevices and see the library as a resource, not only a quiet place to study.
“We would always like to see the students more. They know that we’re here to help, but it would be great just to interact with them a little bit more,” Fulton said.
Fulton believes students are simply unaware of the electronic resource services that the library has to offer, and based on students’ responses when asked whether they knew the school had an electronic resources librarian, it seems Fulton may be correct.
“No,” said Emma Allen, a sophomore in medical imaging.
“What’s that?” said Hannah Dutzer, a junior in biology.
“I did not know that,” said Sydney Sleyo, a sophomore in psychology.
Fulton wants to emphasize to anyone debating whether to reach out to the library for help not to hesitate or be afraid to ask.
“Just ask for help, you know, just reach out. That’s why we’re here. We’re here to help. I think sometimes students just may not know or don’t want to be a bother, but don’t feel like that. That’s why we’re here,” Fulton said.
With students facing schedules filled with classes, jobs, internships, athletics and many other activities, it may feel like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. University resources, like Fulton, could provide help academically and also takes some much-needed stress off their plate.
The Mary Kintz Bevevino Library is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to midnight, Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to midnight.