During the campus closure, Belk Library and Information Commons opened its doors for a week to provide essential resources and support to the community. The library served as a hub, offering shelter, clean water, power, internet access, Wi-Fi, and printing services to those in need. On average, the building accommodated 45 to 50 people throughout the day, creating a safe and welcoming space during a challenging time. We are grateful for the opportunity to utilize our facilities in a meaningful way, helping to support and uplift our community when it needed us most.
End of Go App! Fight App! Give Back! Food Drive for 2024 / Food Pantry/Food Pantry on the Hickory Campus
The University Libraries are dedicated to combating food insecurity among students. In the Fall of 2024, the Library Pantry on the Boone Campus recorded 700 card swipes, reflecting a growing demand for its services. The “Go App! Fight App! Give Back! canned food drive kicked off our efforts. The campaign collected monetary and food donations from Game Day tailgaters in exchange for restroom access, fostering a spirit of generosity while addressing a critical need.
Our need grew after the storm. Many of our grocery stores and food suppliers suffered damage and either closed entirely or offered limited items for purchases. We maintained the same budget for our pantry purchases but we found our supply for items overrun by the needs of our students. We left a collection box in the atrium of the library as our student clubs and organizations also brought in items to help fellow Mountaineers in need.
In addition, we reached out to other donation sites. In conversations, we discovered our student population seldom visited off campus food distribution locations. The sites were able to collaborate with us in our efforts by sharing donated items they had received. A special thank you goes out to Cornerstone Summit Church and the Hospitality House of Northwestern North Carolina for their generous contributions of food items and supplies to help our Mountaineer family. The Library on the Hickory Campus will soon dedicate an expanded food pantry in late February. We are proud of our efforts to help with food insecurities for our Mountaineer Family.
Help From Our Friends
The University Library Advisory Council, acting on their commitment to open educational resources initiatives, enacted a plan to help students displaced by the hurricane who may have returned to their home counties during the week the university was closed.
The University Library Advisory Council (ULAC) is composed of the directors of the 17 UNC System institutions’ libraries and a representative from UNC System Office.
For students still away from campus and working from elsewhere in the state, other UNC system libraries offered help. They provided links to local campuses offering study space, access to electronic resources, and materials to check out to our students displaced from the storm.
Jesse Barber’s Photography Featured
Recent Appalachian Studies MA alumnus Jesse Barber's extraordinary photography work documenting Hurricane Helene here in Western NC was featured in several major news and media outlets and also in our very own, Appalachian Today. Jesse currently works in the Special Collections Research Center. Congratulations, Jesse! We are proud of your excellent work.
Dean Sue Polanka said to Library Personnel in an end of year email, "As we wrap up 2024 I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge your hard work and the impact you all have made on our community. 2024 has been a challenging year. Hurricane Helene upended our semester and changed lives forever. All of you felt this impact and yet you all came together to provide a sense of normalcy and community for the campus when we opened Belk Library during the campus closure. Others volunteered throughout our community. I’m proud of our library employees for their contributions to the campus and community this semester.”
Barber Photo in featured in Southern Living Magazine
