Lauren is the User Experience Librarian at the University at Albany.
She is always looking for new and innovative ways to use technology for library outreach and promotion to improve student experiences with the library.
Popular Books
Making leisure reading more readily available in academic libraries has been a long-time interest for Lauren. When the UAlbany Libraries explored bringing a popular reading collection to the Lauren, built an engaging form to collect book recommendations from students easily, published a page on the value of leisure reading, and currently administers the book collection in collaboration with the Outreach and Marketing Librarian.
Screenshot from the top of the new Popular Books Collection suggestion form
Library patrons enjoy a study break
Stress Less Month
Graduate students need a study break too! Stress Less Month has finally arrived at the Dewey Library, offering students the opportunity to take a break during finals. Students can break up a study marathon and visit one of the many DIY stress less stations in the library to help them re-focus or take a mindful moment.
Recording a podcast
Podcast
In this episode, Lauren Puzier joins Amanda Lowe in the season finale of the University Libraries' Librarians with Lattes podcast. She talks tips to beat stress during final exams and other hectic parts of the year.
Library Orientations & Tours
In collaboration with museum, historical society, and public libraries, Lauren organized annual orientations for students interested in learning about the services and resources at local research institutes to help them to feel more confident as researchers and more comfortable visiting libraries off-campus.
Welcome Back Events
Lauren brings the library to the students at biannual Welcome Back events held on the downtown campus. Among the cookies, candy cards and create-your-own button station, students can fill up a library bag with vendor swag, instructional handouts and meet their subject librarians in person.
Engaging Displays
As part of the Dewey Library's outreach program Lauren maintains a monthly rotating display in the main reading room and rotating displays on the lower level.
A review of the display area led to a redesign of the space for better user experience and engagement. Lauren creates displays with a merchandising approach that engage library patrons encouraging them to touch the materials, check out resources and walk away with informational handouts.
