Student Friends of the Library is a new organization that will host its first meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Kent State Library.    

“We want to get students involved who really share the same love of the library, and by doing this, we’re also promoting the library and their events,” said Richard Mulhall, junior journalism major and vice president of Student Friends of the Library.

Mulhall said the organization plans to meet and discuss different perspectives of the library, possible changes to the library and potential fundraisers and events for the library.

Danielle Poloskey, sophomore advertising major and president of Student Friends of the Library, said one of the purposes of the organization is to share students’ concerns and opinions with the deans and advisers of the library

“We’re advocates of the library,” Poloskey said. “We want to advise the dean’s office on things we see that students need more of, and advise the dean on what would help students most.”

Poloskey said she would like to make students aware of the resources that the library offers and believes the organization will be a great way to make sure that happens.

“I think that one of the reasons that we started this is to make students aware of everything that the library has to offer,” she said. “There’s so many things that students don’t know about that they need to know about.”

Mulhall said students can fill out a form at the meeting to become a Student Friend and must pay a yearly fee of $1 to be donated to the University Library’s Core Textbook on Reserve program, a program that allows students to utilize core course books for a limited period of time.

Karen Hillman, director of marketing and communication for University Libraries, is the adviser of Student Friends of the Library. She said the organization hopes to eventually have a representative from the other campus libraries, Greek life and athletes because they have a goal to become the most participated in organization on campus.

“The ultimate goal is becoming the biggest and strongest student organization on this campus because we see that the real opportunity here is collaborating with other student organizations,” Hillman said. “There are over 300 organizations on this campus right now, so there’s no reason why we can’t have dual membership and help each other out.”

Mulhall said he believes the organization could bring great changes for the library that students would favor.

“We have this organization to help the advisers and deans of the library figure out what students like and want, and what other way to find that out than from students themselves?” he said.

Hillman said she felt it’s important to make sure students stay connected and involved with the library.

“The soul of this, in my opinion, is bringing people together,” she said. “People who love books, people that love people, students that just want to be a part of something or belong somewhere. That’s the soul of this.”

Contact Chris Woods at [email protected].