Libraries & Digital Learning

Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut

Category: Library Events

Cookies, Comfort, and Campus Wellness: Reflections on “Snacks & Support”

November 20, 2024 /

Earlier this semester, our library hosted Snacks & Support, a new event designed to blend academic assistance with wellness for our student community. Students were invited to drop by for snacks, in-person research help, and wellness resources like stress busting tips, recipes, and health center giveaways. It was a blend of nourishment for the mind and body, and a way to show that seeking support doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. 

While we had carefully curated health-focused snacks and thoughtfully organized resources, it wasn’t the popcorn or the fruit that stole the show. It was the homemade cookies.

The Unexpected Power of a Cookie

I didn’t expect the level of joy a cookie could spark. But there it was… person after person, pausing mid-bite, their faces lighting up. Some lingered to chat, sharing fond memories of baking at home or thanking us for what felt like an unexpected treat. These weren’t just cookies. They were moments of comfort, reminders of care, and tiny invitations to slow down in the middle of a busy hour. 

The cookies in question? Chocolate chip oatmeal with toffee—chewy, sweet, and just the right amount of indulgent. But more than their flavor, it was the unexpectedness and the personal touch that resonated. They inspired me to think about the broader idea of wellness: how simple, intentional acts (or snacks!) can bring comfort and connection to our lives. 

A Recipe for Wellness

The success of Snacks & Support wasn’t just in the snacks, though. It was in the atmosphere we created: one of care, comfort, and community. Inspired by this experience, I wanted to share a “wellness recipe” for the end-of-semester season—a guide to finding joy, relaxation, and balance, with some inspiration drawn from the library. 

  • Start with a daily dose of mindfulness. Find a quiet place to sit and reflect—perhaps in the leisure reading area, surrounded by cozy chairs and great books. Or take a moment to gaze out a library window with a serene view of campus, letting yourself pause and breathe. 
  • Mix in movement. Take a walk through the library’s stacks, exploring new books and topics. A bit of wandering can clear your mind and spark curiosity.
  • Sprinkle in kindness. Leave a kind note in a shared space, recommend a book to a friend, or simply share a smile with someone you pass in the library. These small gestures can brighten everyone’s day.
  • Add balance. Reserve time for focused study in one of the library’s quiet spaces, then reward yourself with a warm drink from Peter B’s. Balance is about work and restoration.
  • Top with gratitude. Reflect on the small joys around you—a productive study session, a favorite chair by the window, or a comforting buzz of activity in the library. Gratitude helps shift our focus to the positive. 
The Joy of Sharing Wellness

As we wrap up the semester and look toward the holidays, I hope these reflections encourage you to find small ways to prioritize wellness… whether it’s baking a favorite treat, practicing mindfulness, or simply pausing to connect with others. Wellness isn’t just about what we do for ourselves—it’s about what we share with our communities. 

Here’s to finding joy in the small things and building a campus culture where everyone can thrive.

In Case You Missed It: 1960’s Activism, Archives and the Now: A Talk by Paul Lauter

April 21, 2021 /
Our Sixties book cover

Our Sixties, by Paul Lauter

The Trinity  College and Watkinson Libraries were honored on April 20, 2020 to host (virtually via Zoom) Paul Lauter, Allan K. and Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor of Literature, Emeritus, at Trinity College.  To put it mildly, Paul led an interesting life in the 1960’s, when he was “fired, busted, published, and tenured .”As many have requested, we are happy to provide a link to his talk.  Listening to Paul talk about how literature and archives influenced his thinking about civil rights, while simultaneously hearing the Chauvin verdict in the murder of George Floyd, was a moment that many of us will not forget.

We have prepared a guide  where you will find material related to the talk, especially about Paul’s archives at the Watkinson.

Paul Lauter’s book, Our Sixties, An Activists History, was published by the University of Rochester Press in October 2020.

Blind Date with a Book

February 5, 2020 /
Book wrapped in brown paper, red heart decoration

Have a blind date with a book.

Winter blues got you down? Why not try a one night stand with a book? Staff and students working in Information Services have recommended some of their favorite reads for you! The catch is you have to take a bit of a leap of faith and try something new–our books are wrapped up so you won’t know the title and this will be a blind date. But as always at the library, the book is free to you, so you have literally nothing to lose.  And unlike a person blind date, you won’t need to plan an exit strategy.

The books are available now in the library atrium. Join us Friday February 7, 2020, 1 to 3pm in the atrium of LITC for cupcakes and candy to celebrate having a Blind Date with a Book!

Talking Research Over Lunch: Seniors Share Research Experiences with Peers in Their Major

April 18, 2018 /

In our conversations with faculty over the past several years, concerns were expressed about the dearth of opportunities for sophomore and junior students to develop the research skills necessary for success in their majors. To address these concerns, the Research Education department recently piloted a peer-to-peer learning model that builds on the foundational research skills introduced to students in their first year by focusing on research in a specifically disciplinary context.

On March 29th, we hosted the first student-led research workshop with students in the Psychology program. Over lunch, three senior thesis writers engaged twelve of their peers in a lively conversation aimed at strengthening the research skills and confidence of the recently-declared majors. Drawing on their personal experiences with academic research, the thesis writers familiarized their peers with the resources and strategies fundamental to research in their major.

Our hope is to expand this model in the fall and beyond. If your department is interesting in participating, contact Rob Walsh (robert.walsh@trincoll.edu). These workshops will reinforce discipline-specific research skills, foster a sense of community among students in connection with their research, and encourage students to see themselves as scholars.

 

Connecticut Connections: Historical College Scrapbooks from Connecticut College, Trinity College, and Wesleyan University

January 11, 2018 /

Over the past year, the CTW Digital Projects Group, which encompasses staff from Connecticut College, Trinity College, and Wesleyan University, came together to consider how the three schools might collaborate on digitizing and publishing archival or other materials owned by each school.

For its pilot project, the group selected student-made scrapbooks from multiple eras: those of Linda Abel, a student at Connecticut College from 1965-1969, Lynn Smith Miller, a student at Wesleyan from 1910-1914, and Phillip DeWitt Phair, who attended Trinity College from 1890 – 1894. The scrapbooks offer a glimpse into college student life during these periods through ephemera such as playbills and athletic event tickets, dance and social cards, artwork, valentines, invitations and letters, newspaper clippings, menus, and miscellaneous objects.

Utilizing the University of Southern California’s open-source platform, Scalar, members of the group scanned and uploaded an image of each scrapbook page, jointly decided on metadata fields, and added metadata and descriptions for each page, as well as a biography and introduction to each scrapbook.

“Connecticut Connections” was recently presented at the CTW Retreat in downtown Hartford and is publicly available online at: http://scalar.usc.edu/works/ctwscrapbooks. 

OneSearch Workshops

October 6, 2017 /

OneSearch, launched this summer helps you easily find library books, articles and other resources including, CTW collections.

We have some tips that will make OneSearch even easier to use. We’ll share them in a series of  20 minute workshops. No registration required!

Drop In Workshops (all in the Phelan Room on the A Level of the Library) October 9, 10 and 11 at 10am, 12pm and 3pm

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