As finals approach, the Glickman Library on the Portland campus divulges her secrets to students preparing to spend long hours researching and studying. From the outside, the Glickman Library looks like a tall rectangular office building without any particularly distinguishing features, but inside students can find valuable information that may serve them during finals week and beyond. One thing many students may not know is that the library building was built in 1919 and served for many decades as a bakery until 1954 when it housed a variety of businesses including a plumbing supply company. USM bought the strong, reinforced concrete structure in 1991 and converted it into a library; finishing the final three floors in 2004. Library staff hold an annual cookie day during Spring finals when they all bake cookies to give away to students in celebration of the building’s history as a bakery according to Bill Grubb, the Head of Reference and the Information Literacy Program.
1. The Great Reading Room on the 7th floor: The 7th floor once housed massive baking ovens, but now sports elegant furniture donated to the library by world-renowned Freeport designer Thomas Mosher. The reading room’s massive windows face Portland’s Back Bay, giving this quiet study area world-class views. The 7th floor also has a small study room for groups with the coveted Back Bay vista. “We just needed a place where we can talk and work on a project in the library,” said senior nursing student Amy Rowe who studied in the 7th floor group room last Tuesday.
2. The multimedia collection: The Glickman Library offers free DVD and VHS rentals to students and the public. The collection is housed on the second floor behind the information desk.
3. Free coffee on Mondays: Buying coffee in the morning? Why not drop by the 2nd floor of the library to fill up for free any Monday of the year? Emily Reinholt, a second year Master’s in Community Planning and Development graduate student said this is her favorite feature of the library.
4. The 5th Floor computer labs and cafeteria: Who says you can’t eat spaghetti and meatballs in the library? The 5th floor cafeteria currently only has a microwave, coffee and vending machines along with tables and a bar but if Bill Grubb has his way the library may someday host a Starbucks outlet or a cafeteria with fresh food. “That’s what most academic libraries are doing. If a lot of students got signs and marched on us saying we demand a café well, then go students,” said Grubb. The 5th floor, like the other floors, also has nice seating facing Back Bay and places to put your feet up. Third year business major Peter Gilman said he loves the peace and tranquility of the 5th floor chairs facing Back Bay.
5. Live chat with a USM librarian: Did you know that by clicking on “Ask a Librarian” on the USM library site’s homepage you can get answers to questions and documents for your research by chatting live with USM librarian?
6. URSUS: Anyone can request any book from almost any library in Maine and receive it on campus in 2-3 days for free. By requesting a book via URSUS students can get rare books and documents in hand quickly for research.
7. Second floor tables: “This right here is the perfect table,” said Rick Harbison, a first year Master’s in Community Planning and Development graduate student. “It’s almost never occupied. It’s on the 2nd floor so it’s easy to get to if you’re taking the stairs and [has] easy access to outlets, computers and printers. You can just cruise over there and print a few things out. They got some Lifesavers over there at the help desk so if you get some coffee breath you can switch it up a little bit,” said Harbison. The 2nd floor also has a reference librarian at a help desk and hosts free coffee on Mondays. “I’m a big second floor guy,” said Greg Bates, a senior nursing student. The second floor also sports raised tables and chairs that allow students to try a different posture and gain some altitude.
8. Free coffee for the two weeks of finals on the 2nd floor: Nobody can argue with this.
9. Databases: This may sound nerdy but USM subscribes to a large range of professional and academic journals and databases that would cost an individual hundreds of dollars per year. “We have about 200 databases that contain millions of articles,” said Grubb. JSTOR is an excellent database for academic research, LEXUS NEXUS specializes in law and business research and the American Periodical Archive has pdf documents of most newspapers and print media from the 1700s up through 1940.
10. Special collections: Need an original source document or rare material pertaining to Maine history? Special Collections is the place to look for hundreds of books and documents that exist only in the USM libraries.
Sixth floor Diversity Collection is a wonderful place to find info…I was there on 50th anniversary of March on Washington and found photos of Portland leaders of all faiths and racial groups represented, Martha in Maine