Individuals from around the world come to University of Louisiana at Lafayette to get their degrees, but working towards graduation day can be a hassle for most college students.
Maintaining good grades, staying on top of classwork and studying for exams can put a damper on anyone’s mood but thanks to the Dupré Library, being productive doesn’t have to be as gloomy as you think.
The Dupré Library was named after Ms. Edith Garland Dupré, who was an inspirational chairman of the Library Committee. Her contributions led to the development of the library we now have today.
When students step into the Dupré Library, they step into a whole new world of possibilities. There are so many aspects that flow into the creation of this building that students might need to make a list and check it twice every time they visit. The Dupré Library has three floors and every floor has something new to explore.
Starting with the bottom, this is where it is typically the loudest. Students are encouraged to freely converse with a regular inside voice without worry of having to quiet down. The first floor is also home to Jazzman’s Cafe, so if students need a snack or a delicious coffee drink then it’s only a hop, skip and a jump away.
Isaac Sweet, a sophomore majoring in nursing, commented “10 out of 10…my favorite thing there is a cinnamon roll…I really like talking to the people there… they’re really friendly and I just love them for that.”
While eating and drinking is allowed on all floors, it is not allowed in the areas behind closed doors since those areas typically keep important documents that need to be protected. If Jazzman’s Cafe does not suit their fancy, then there are also vending machines located on the second floor if they’d rather have chips, candy or carbonated beverages.
The first floor also has a variety of computers that students can utilize at any time to do homework, type documents or print something that they need. The library offers 250 pages of free black and white printing per semester to each student, that’s a lot of ink.
There are computers on the second floor as well, but the majority of them are to the right of the front desk. Speaking of the front desk, if students need to check something out, that’s where they would need to go.
The front desk allows students to check out a variety of items, from dry erase markers, to teddy bears, to board games and kitchen utensils, there is always multiple items at their disposal.
Jania Johnson, a sophomore majoring in nursing, stated “I check out a battery and cable, almost every day.” So students have the ability to check out more than just books.
Kaven Landry, a junior studying secondary education, is a student worker at the library and mentioned, “they can come to the circulation desk at the front of the library to access what they need. We will get it for them and check it out too. They can come up here, ask questions and I will point them to the direction of the research access services.”
Last but certainly not least, the first floor is where the writing center is located. The writing center is an area part of the library where students can go if they need any kind of writing help, including the brainstorming process and formatting. They do accept walk-ins, but booking an appointment guarantees a tutor at the time of booking.
Joshua Vu, a junior majoring in biology, mentioned “it helped me get a sense of what I needed to write for my English 102 class…the tutors were very helpful.” What if students don’t need help in English and need help in history instead? Well they are still at the right place. On the third floor they have a variety of special collections that cover different historical people, items and histories. The third floor is the perfect spot if students need to conduct research on a historical figure but don’t know where to start. While the third floor is welcoming to history majors it is also welcoming to student athletes as well since the student athlete center is also located on that floor.
Students come to the Dupré Library for practically anything under the sun, but what if students simply want to study? The library has single spaced cubicles that are openly available for those who need a private space to study. If studying alone isn’t your cup of tea and you’d rather study with friends, students can also rent a study room on the second floor to utilize, but they must have their friends present with them in order to check one out.
Finally a library would not be a library if students didn’t have an area to read or enjoy the peace and quietness. The third floor is the quiet zone and has a no talking rule established for those students that need a peaceful environment to do their work. So if you’re a chatterbox the second floor, or first floor, would be more suited for you.
The Dupré Library has numerous services students can take advantage of. All they have to do is explore them.