Talia Gray, Features Editor

 This is the second installment of a Features series on the various campus resources available to students here at UNCG. Each installment will be based on an interview with a representative from the given office in an effort to demystify these integral parts of our campus community. In today’s installment, we will focus on the Jackson Library here on campus.   

In this installment, I sat down with Juanita Thacker, who is an Information Literacy Librarian for the College Writing Program, CST 105, AADS, and FYE. For context, each major or area of study is assigned a librarian. When asked about her role in the library, Juanita explained, “I really enjoy working with first-year students. I have a lot of experience with undergraduates from all backgrounds from my previous roles in libraries.”  

Becoming a Librarian  

Juanita goes on to share her journey to becoming a librarian. Becoming a university librarian was not Juanita’s first career goal but was more appropriate for her personal interests. She explains, “I never thought of it [the library] as a potential job until my pre-med dreams went down the drain. I did not have the background or discipline to be a biology major back in the day. I fell into the ECU party trap, and subsequent academic struggles, including suspensions, followed when I finally matured enough to find a major that was a better fit for my abilities and personality.”  

Much like many undergraduate students, Juanita’s first choice of college major was not the path she stayed on for the duration of her education. However, Juanita states, “Amid all the academic instability, I got a student assistant job at the Joyner Library at ECU. I worked in their Government Documents department for over a year.” She began working in a library and eventually chose an area of study at ECU but did not obtain her degree due to a C in a single course. Juanita recounts the following steps in her story: “I returned to my hometown of Winston-Salem, NC, to look for better options for full-time work. It was a bitter pill to swallow. I was very upset because I felt like coming home without my college degree was a failure. However, it turned out to be the best thing for me. I had to go home to grow up, and that’s okay. Everyone’s path is different.”  Juanita goes on to explain that her path led her back to education to pursue a career as an academic librarian. She recounts the difficulty of this decision as she states, “I railed against it for years due to all the stereotypes I held about librarianship. But I love learning new things and helping people. Most people don’t realize you need a Master’s degree to be a librarian…. I was one of them.” Juanita went on to get her Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) after finishing her undergraduate studies at ECU. All the while, she worked at various libraries gaining experience in the field. She began working in her current position at Jackson Library at the start of 2021.  

The Jackson Library 

During our conversation, Juanita explained that “The library’s primary goal is to provide academic support and services that faculty and students need to facilitate their research and learning.” The Jackson Library is equipped for academic research through both its borrowable resources as well as services offered by staff. Juanita also describes the library as “a chill space for quiet or group study and social interaction.” 

When asked what distinguishes an academic library like the Jackson Library from one’s local public library, Juanita explained, “Signing up to check out materials at the local public library is free; that’s not the case with university academic libraries.  Academic libraries, whether located at public or private universities, are generally open to the public. But if you are no longer or never affiliated with that institution, you’ll have to pay annually to borrow materials from their library. Students don’t pay to use the library at their university because they pay tuition.” Outside of the financial commitments required to access an academic library, Juanita also noted, “The primary differences between all libraries—public, academic (which we are), and special libraries—are the constituencies that they serve. Public libraries focus on providing resources for a general audience of non-academic people.  The information in them will not have much discipline-specific vocabulary, as you find in academic libraries. Academic libraries’ primary focus is on research resources.” To be clear, there are benefits to having access to both an academic library and a public library. Juanita informed me about one such benefit as she described, “NC LIVE is a great free resource for UNCG students once they graduate and become alumni. Post-graduation access to the electronic content is limited to on-campus use if students are no longer affiliated with their university, but NC LIVE provides access from anywhere to some of those databases for free to anyone with an NC public library card.” The Jackson Library is meant to serve the various research and information needs of the UNCG campus community during and after your time here at UNCG.  

Resources to Consider During Your Next Visit 

The next time you are working on a large project, consider visiting the Jackson Library for all sorts of helpful resources. During our conversation, Juanita asserted, “I wish more people knew about the DMC as a resource for help with digital projects, 3D printers, a VR lab, gaming equipment, podcasting space, etc. Students can book appointments and get training on all the equipment and software.” So, if you have an upcoming project with digital elements, consider using this link to book an appointment with Digital Media Commons. Of course, one of the library’s most helpful resources is staff members like Juanita who “…can provide students with one-on-one assistance for training or research depending on their needs.” 

Not only is the Jackson Library a place full of books and other sources of useful information, but it is also a resource where students, faculty, and staff may learn new skills and interact with well-informed staff on any given topic. As we approach the midpoint of the semester, I would encourage everyone to utilize the breadth of the University Library as a campus resource. Whether you are looking for academic sources for a research project or a graphic novel to read in your leisure time, the Jackson Library has what you are looking for, and the staff are ready to help you find it.