Rusty Tryon, MLS, MDiv, DMin, has a lot to juggle as director of Rooney Library at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
On any given day, he processes interlibrary loan requests, responds to emails from students, faculty and staff, attends a meeting or two, and connects with the campus’s remote library team members.
The library isn’t Tryon’s only responsibility, though. He’s also a Woods Online adjunct professor, teaching primarily general education courses and in the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program.
“Notice, there’s not too much time for reading in my schedule. Librarian myth busted,” said Tryon, who has been at The Woods for six years. “One of the highlights for me on any given day, though, really is connecting one-on-one with students and helping them with any library and research needs.”
Like most academic libraries, SMWC students can access services and resources online anytime via the library’s webpage. Tryon and his staff can also help students dive deeper into the library’s physical collection of more than 50,000 items.
“That number represents a little less than 10% of all the materials we make available to our community,” he said. “While many of the physical books are older, some are only in that format. They may represent seminal works in their respective fields, so we need to keep them and make them available.”
While the internet is a great tool, Tryon said, a librarian’s help could be just what students need to take their research to the next level.
“I feel that students sometimes settle for ‘good enough’ rather than seeking out the best information to meet their needs,” Tryon said. “I admit that good, effective online searching is not always easy, but librarians are ready and eager to help students with their searching.”
New students or those who need a refresher on the library’s offerings can attend various program orientations. Each year, the library also offers a series of webinars, including an online open house and a general orientation.
Knowing just a few simple tips can make using the library much easier and more effective, Tryon said. That’s why the library has a collection of videos on its YouTube channel, including short, 1-minute videos affectionately referred to as “Rooney Reels.”
“For many assignments, professors expect students to use credible, high-quality academic sources, which they can access through the library at no cost to them,” he said. “The most important resource the library offers that students probably do not think about, though, is the people who work here. The library employs only credentialed, professional librarians to ensure that each interaction with the library is of the best quality and most helpful. We love to help researchers. It’s our job and our passion.”
Rooney Library
Third Floor
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Phone: 812-535-5255
Email: library@smwc.edu
Website: http://www.smwc.edu/offices-resources/offices/rooney-library/