May 2, 2025 • 57 mins
Guests Diann Lindsay and Mariah McCauley of the Georgia Tech Library Public Services department, discussing what goes on at the library's information desk.
First broadcast 5/2/2025. Transcript at https://hdl.handle.net/1853/77567
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"Welcome to the research library of the 21st Century. Your first stop will probably be the INFODesk."
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(00:02):
[DOOBIE BROTHERS, "CHINA GROVE"]
MACK FREEMAN (00:04):
When you're open 24/7,
there's alwaysjust somebody here.
There's always thatstuff going on.
On the flip side, though, itdoes mean that there's always
something going on.
You need people here constantly.
18 people mightsound like a big team
to run these publicservices, but not when
you need somebody atthe desk and somebody's
able to do equipment deliveryand all of that all the time.
(00:24):
The team that we havehere that does that work,
they are incrediblygood at what they do.
They are incredibly responsibleand responsive to the students,
and they have a passionfor doing that work,
but also doing thatwork in moments
where you can createmore of a connection
rather than just thesheer mass of the people
that come in throughout the day.
(00:45):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (01:08):
You are listening to WREK Atlanta,
and this is Lost in theStacks-- the Research Library
Rock and Roll Radio Show.
I'm Marlee Givens, and I'm inthe studio with Alex McGee, Fred
Rascoe, Cody Turner.
We're missing our captain.
[LAUGHTER]
But we will persevere.
Each week on Lost in theStacks, we pick a theme
(01:29):
and then use it to create amix of music and library talk.
Whichever you're herefor, we hope you dig it.
ALEX MCGEE (01:36):
Our show today is called "The INFODesk."
This is part 8 in our series,The Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (01:42):
On the first Friday of each month,
we visit a site inthe Guidebook and talk
about a space or service inthe Georgia Tech Library.
FRED RASCOE (01:49):
Our site today sounds
like a singlepiece of furniture,
but the space and its servicescover half a floor of the Price
Gilbert Library.
It's a patrons-firststop when they
get to the library anda portal to everything
the library offers.
ALEX MCGEE (02:04):
Well, Fred, everything's a really big word.
FRED RASCOE (02:07):
Well, you start at the INFODesk
and then you get to everything.
They can help you or findthe person who can help you.
ALEX MCGEE (02:14):
Hm.
All right, I'll allow it.
FRED RASCOE (02:16):
OK, thanks.
MARLEE GIVENS (02:17):
[LAUGHS] Our guests today
are public services associateswho know how the INFODesk works
and what it can dofor library visitors.
FRED RASCOE (02:24):
And our songs today all align
with the servicemission of the INFODesk,
answering questions,being available
no matter the time ofday, and working together.
MARLEE GIVENS (02:31):
Hey, Fred?
FRED RASCOE (02:33):
Yeah?
MARLEE GIVENS (02:33):
Did you find any songs about desks?
FRED RASCOE (02:34):
You know what?
I did?
[LAUGHTER]
You want me to play one?
MARLEE GIVENS (02:38):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (02:38):
All right, this is "Low Desk, High Shelf"
by The Green Child, righthere on Lost in the Stacks.
[THE GREEN CHILD, "LOW DESK,HIGH SHELF"]
ALEX MCGEE (02:56):
That was "Low Desk, High Shelf," by The Green Child.
Our show today iscalled "The INFODesk,"
and it's the eighth in ourGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook
series.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:06):
On the first Friday of each month,
we visit a sitefrom the Guidebook,
which is a virtual guidebook.
It's one that we made up.
FRED RASCOE (03:16):
Like an audio guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:18):
Well, it is, yeah, exactly.
So in the Guidebook series,we feature a space or service
in the Georgia Tech Library.
And we have two guides with ustoday, Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley, Public ServicesAssociates at the Georgia Tech
Library.
So welcome both ofyou to the show.
DIANN LINDSAY (03:35):
Thank you for having me.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (03:36):
Thanks.
Thanks for having us.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:38):
Yeah.
So we want to talk,I guess, first
about the INFODesk as a space.
Just give us yourimpression of what
it's like to just bethere on your shift.
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Yeah, so the INFODesk (03:52):
undefined
is a really coolplace in the library,
in my personal/professionalopinion.
We are on the groundfloor of Price Gilbert.
We've got three deskswith these big signs.
And we've got these amazingfloor-to-ceiling windows
behind us, where we havelots of natural light.
(04:12):
And it's just a coolplace to be because we're
at the intersection of threebuildings-- so Clough, Price
Gilbert and Crosland Tower.
And so all thepeople who are coming
to what our dean likes to callthe scholarly heart of campus,
we get to see everyonecome into our space.
DIANN LINDSAY (04:31):
Yes, and it's one of those spaces
that, no matter if youare new to the campus
or you went here a long timeago, we welcome you with a smile
and say, welcome back.
And it's a place whereyou can come to us
and ask any type of question orask for any type of assistance.
(04:55):
And as long as we can get youat least to some sort of answer
or maybe to thecorrect person that
can provide the best answer, wefeel like we have done our job.
MARLEE GIVENS (05:10):
So is there a typical type of person
that you see, or does itdepend on the time of day
or the time of semester?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: I would definitely (05:17):
undefined
say the time of the semester,throughout the year, definitely.
So we're coming up on summer.
So during summer, we have alot of public patrons come
in, a lot of high schoolers,pre-college students, summer
camp, as well.
So we get a lot of thosetypes of patrons, of course,
during the school year, GeorgiaTech students, both undergrad
(05:40):
and graduate, as wellas faculty and staff.
So we get a really,really cool, diverse group
of the people that come in.
DIANN LINDSAY (05:47):
Yeah.
And I definitely think itdepends on the time of day, too,
because we are a 24/7 library.
So we have three shifts of staffthat cover the desk all day,
all night.
And so the peoplethat we sometimes
see on the day shiftor the midday shift
(06:07):
is going to be a lot differentthan who the people see
on the second or third shift.
Now, typically, they'realways, usually,
students who are they're really,really studying and really
leaning into their education.
But during the day, whenwe do have visitor hours,
that's where we see a lotmore of the public come in.
FRED RASCOE (06:31):
So, Diane, you mentioned the demarcation line
between the day shiftand the night shift
for the studentsthat are coming in.
Are you-- you'recurrently day shift--
DIANN LINDSAY (06:41):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (06:42):
--employee Have you always been day shift?
DIANN LINDSAY (06:44):
I have not.
So when I started at theGeorgia Tech Library,
I was a second shift Tuesdaythrough Saturday employee.
So I worked 1:30 PM to 10:00PM, which I came from a position
that was a 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
But because of themove, and I was
excited to start my career here,I said, yep, let's do this.
(07:08):
And so I was able tosee and now experience
a lot different type of--
the experience was different.
The number of people that wesee between 1:30 and 8:00 PM,
a lot different than8:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
FRED RASCOE (07:28):
Is there a shorthand that you could use
to describe the differencebetween someone that comes
in at 1:00 in the afternoonversus someone 1:00
in the morning?
DIANN LINDSAY: Tired versus alert. (07:40):
undefined
FRED RASCOE (07:42):
Right.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (07:45):
So yeah.
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (07:47):
How does the vibe change over
the course of the day?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: I'd say, of course, (07:51):
undefined
early morning, we'vegot those overachievers,
people who are upbright and early,
ready to get their day started.
I'd say, after aroundlunchtime-- it also depends
on the day of the week, too.
So during the week, we'vegot people typically
following their normalclass schedules, right?
So they come in during breaks.
(08:12):
And most people have classesmaybe Tuesday, Thursday,
so they come inMonday, Wednesday.
I also work on Sundays.
And it's really interestingbecause Sunday morning,
it's completely dead.
Everyone's sleeping in.
And then lunchtime hits, andpeople are like, oh, shoot,
I have an assignmentdue tomorrow.
[LAUGHTER]
Let me come in.
So right around 2 o'clock,we start getting busy.
(08:33):
It's like clockwork.
ALEX MCGEE (08:34):
I really wanted to picture, like, Club Library,
like 10:00 to 1:00 in themorning, maybe there's a looser,
more fun vibe.
I don't know.
That's what I've-- the pictureI've painted in my head.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (08:48):
So I will tell you, I was here--
the last two weekshave been finals.
So we have seen anuptick in just the number
of people in the librarystudying and being there.
And I was here till about 9:30last Friday because I was also
studying and getting workdone on my own program.
(09:08):
And there were a ton ofpeople in the library.
And I think, in order toget through the stress,
they were having a good time.
So.
FRED RASCOE (09:19):
All right, this is Lost in the Stacks.
We are going to hear morefrom Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley after a music set.
ALEX MCGEE (09:27):
File this set under HF5415.5.H86.
[HELLO YELLO, "HELP AGAIN"]
[BOBBY THURSTON, "JUST ASK ME"]Just ask me, baby
(09:52):
Ooh, ooh just ask me
Ooh, just ask me, baby
Ooh, ooh just ask me
That was "Just Ask Me,"
by Bobby Thurston and,before that, "Help Again,"
by Hello Yello--
songs about helpingpeople who ask.
(10:12):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (10:18):
This is Lost in the Stacks,
and today's show iscalled "The INFODesk."
It's another episode for ourGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook.
FRED RASCOE (10:25):
On the Grove Level of the Library,
you can find the INFODeskstaffed by public services
associates like our guests,Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley.
So I mentioned atthe top of the show
that the INFODesk is likethe gateway to everything,
which kind of soundslike, oh, any service
you want, yeah, you can get it.
(10:46):
But of course, that's not true.
But it is just more than comingup and asking for a book.
So, Mariah, let'sstart with you.
What are the kind of servicesthat a person coming up
to the INFODesk might expector that might expect from you?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Absolutely, yeah. (11:01):
undefined
So we have a myriad of differentservices that we offer.
The main one is, of course,research and reference help.
So anyone that needs to findmaterials for their research,
for their courses, we havea lot of course reserves
that we check out, so textbooks,equipment, things like that.
(11:23):
We also have what'scalled our Gadget Service.
So Instant Gadgetsis where we have
items that are availableimmediately for checkout.
So that's calculators, chargers,Wacom tablets, styluses,
headphones, things like that.
We also have ReservationGadgets, which is something
that they can askus questions about,
(11:43):
and we tell them how todo it online and make
their reservation.
We also do a lot of justdirectional questions,
IT help, printing services.
Those are the thingsoff the top of my head.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (11:56):
OK.
I'm wrong.
It is everything.
[LAUGHTER]
I just wanted--
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Almost everything. (12:00):
undefined
FRED RASCOE (12:02):
I want to point out one thing.
You said you check out, as partof gadgets, all the cameras
and chargers and everything.
Calculators?
Which in my mind, I thinkevery student has one
as part of theirphone that they have
with them, or on their laptop.
But calculators are somethingthat gets checked how often?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:19):
Very often.
They're one of our mostpopular circulating items.
FRED RASCOE (12:23):
Wow.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:23):
You've got both scientific calculators
and graphing calculators.
I think, with the phone, a lotof professors don't allow them--
FRED RASCOE (12:31):
Oh, OK.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:32):
--to use their phones, especially during exams
and things like that.
So they, maybe during theirnormal homework sessions
and stuff, they mightuse their phone.
But especially duringexams, they come and check
out a calculator.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (12:43):
Diann, did we leave anything off that list?
DIANN LINDSAY (12:46):
Oh, my gosh.
Let me think.
24-hour laptops.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:51):
Yes.
DIANN LINDSAY (12:52):
So 24-hour laptops are available
for Georgia Tech patronswith a valid BuzzCard.
And we have WindowsSurfaces and MacBook--
Apple MacBooks.
So those are availablefor checkout.
Anytime that you have an issuewith your laptop, come see us.
(13:13):
We can help you out.
MARLEE GIVENS (13:15):
Oh, that's great.
Can you think of anything maybethat was a surprising ask,
of someone walking in, andthey needed something that you
don't normally check out?
DIANN LINDSAY (13:29):
Headphones.
Oh, that we don'tnormally check out?
MARLEE GIVENS (13:33):
I mean, something that may be out of the ordinary
that you have, but is not likea popular circulating thing.
ALEX MCGEE (13:42):
Karaoke mics.
Let's just-- karaoke speakers.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (13:45):
[LAUGHS]
ALEX MCGEE (13:46):
I don't know, Club Library.
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Well, we've had people (13:47):
undefined
do karaoke on Tech Green withsome of the reservation gadgets,
so that was fun.
DIANN LINDSAY (13:52):
Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, I got a couple photos.
FRED RASCOE (13:54):
You were joking about it, but it's real.
DIANN LINDSAY (13:55):
I know.
You joke about it,but we literally--
Tech Green becomes aparty with our PA systems.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (14:02):
Yep.
MARLEE GIVENS (14:03):
Anything analog?
We've been talking aboutequipment and stuff.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:08):
I had a request, and this
was sometime thissemester, somebody
was looking for acassette tape converter.
FRED RASCOE (14:15):
Oh.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:16):
Like, I want to--
I have--
FRED RASCOE (14:17):
To digitize it?
DIANN LINDSAY (14:18):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (14:18):
Right, OK.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:19):
I gave them the information for Retro Tech.
FRED RASCOE (14:22):
Nice.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:22):
Dillon Henry, hopefully--
I don't know what theconnection was there, but--
FRED RASCOE (14:27):
Yeah, we've talked about Retro Tech on the show.
Dillon's been on a couple times.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:30):
Yeah.
So hopefully, they connected.
And I don't know whatthe story was behind it,
but they had collectedcassette tapes,
and they needed to do somethingwith them, digital-wise.
MARLEE GIVENS (14:42):
Wow.
FRED RASCOE (14:43):
What about anything not necessarily
looking for an itemor a digital resource,
just unusual requeststhat have happened?
I think, off theair, you mentioned
one that sounded prettyinteresting to me.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:58):
Yeah, so it is commencement weekend at Georgia
Tech.
Congratulations toall of our graduates.
And I was at theINFODesk yesterday,
and one of our graduatescame to the Information Desk
and was a little frazzledbecause he, unfortunately,
broke--
(15:18):
essentially, brokehis graduation cap.
And so he wanted to try tostaple it back together.
And the only type of stapler wehad available at the INFODesk
is an electric one.
And that was just not goingto work for his situation.
So--
FRED RASCOE (15:36):
He was a little stressed out.
DIANN LINDSAY (15:37):
He was stressed out,
and I felt really bad becauseI think he was probably
running a little late.
And so we have some double sticktape at the Information Desk.
And so I went intomy craft mode,
and I said, here, let megrab the staple remover.
You remove the staples.
I'll grab the double stick tape.
We made it work.
(15:59):
It fit on his head.
I sent him on his way so hecould go to commencement.
FRED RASCOE (16:02):
You engineered it?
DIANN LINDSAY (16:03):
I did.
FRED RASCOE (16:03):
It was a Georgia Tech solution.
MARLEE GIVENS (16:05):
Oh, that's great.
DIANN LINDSAY (16:06):
I did, yeah, yes.
MARLEE GIVENS (16:08):
So it's this time of year,
and you might get somegraduating students.
Does anyone evercome in and they say,
[GASPS] I wish Ihad known that you
had this when I first started.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:23):
So many times.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (16:25):
I heard it yesterday.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:27):
Yeah.
I've had a studentcome up-- well,
it was an alumni by this point.
He said, I was herefor four years,
and I never knew thatyou guys were here.
I guess he'd always comein on the first floor
and never came downto the ground floor.
FRED RASCOE (16:42):
Like, didn't know the library had a desk.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:44):
Yes, right.
And there's so many thingsthat I was telling him
that we do, like thelaptops, for example,
that we just talked about.
He was like, oh, my gosh.
And he was like, well, canI come back as an alumni?
And I said, yes, you'revery welcome to come back.
DIANN LINDSAY (16:56):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (16:57):
So they missed out on the moon rock.
Y'all are also thekeepers of the moon rock.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (17:01):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (17:01):
Excuse me, lunar sample.
DIANN LINDSAY (17:02):
Yes, we do have the lunar sample adjacent
to the Information Desk.
ALEX MCGEE (17:09):
You are listening to Lost in the Stacks,
and we'll hear moreabout the INFODesk
at the Georgia Tech Libraryon the left side of the hour.
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
[OK GO, "BACK FROM KATHMANDU"]
JANE GILVIN (17:28):
This is Jane Gilvin, NPR Librarian.
You're listening to Lost inthe Stacks, the one and only
research library rockand roll radio show.
(SINGING) In the dream,you were someone different
MARLEE GIVENS (17:47):
Today's show is called "The INFODesk."
The Georgia Tech Librarywebsite has a page dedicated
to the INFODesk, and thatpage's headline reads,
"Welcome to the researchlibrary of the 21st century.
Your first stop will likely bethe library INFODesk located
on the Grove Levelin Price Gilbert."
It's interesting that we referto this as your first stop
(18:08):
rather than calling this area ahub or the heart of the library.
And sure, a lot ofthings happen there,
but the INFODesk alsoexists in the online space.
And the folks whowork there also
spread out around the libraryand other service areas.
And I think thatexpansiveness is
one thing that sets this episodeof the Georgia Tech Library
(18:29):
Guidebook series apartfrom previous shows.
Back in 2021, we interviewedMack Freeman, who was then
Head of Public Services.
And this is what he had to sayabout the Price Gilbert Grove.
MACK FREEMAN (18:42):
The hub for a lot of things
has become that GroveLevel of Price Gilbert
where the INFODesk is becauseit's on a main thoroughfare
that people walk by.
And there's alwayssomebody stationed there.
And so you can always knowthat you can go there and get
a question answered.
Coffee shops andeateries that are around
are places where people gather.
The sixth floor andthe Grad Student Lounge
(19:03):
is certainly a hub anda heart for people.
The seventh floorreading rooms, it's
like you can goand live up there.
Don't make any noise, or theywill give you the meanest looks.
Depending on who the studentis or who the user is,
they're making theirown heart on campus.
I kind of see the same facesclustering in the same spots.
And so while the heartof Public Services
might be at the GroveLevel of Price Gilbert,
(19:26):
I think that people arefinding their own spots
and their own spaces tomake this library their own,
with its new visage and model.
[STEELY DAN, "DO IT AGAIN"]
MARLEE GIVENS (19:39):
The INFODesk--
the first, but not thelast, stop in your journey
through the Library.
File this set under Z675.U5I566.
[THE STRANGELOVES, "NIGHT TIME"]
(20:00):
[THE SHOP ASSISTANTS, "ALL DAYLONG"]
"All Day Long," byThe Shop Assistants.
Before that, we heard "Midnightto Six," by Kym Bradshaw,
with The Jolt, and we startedour set with "Night Time,"
by the Strangeloves-- songsabout times one might stop
to visit the INFODesk
(20:22):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
ALEX MCGEE (20:25):
This is Lost in the Stacks,
and our show today is partof The Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook.
Today's episode is all aboutthe INFODesk at the Georgia Tech
Library.
And our guests are PublicServices Associates Diann
Lindsay and Mariah McCauley.
I want to hear a littlebit about Diann and Mariah
as people, not justabout where they work.
(20:47):
So how long have you bothbeen here at the Library?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (20:51):
So I started at Georgia Tech a year
and a half ago, exactly.
Yes, but I've been working inlibraries for seven years now.
DIANN LINDSAY (20:59):
I started at Georgia Tech Library
in March of 2023.
In total, I have about fiveand a half years in libraries.
MARLEE GIVENS (21:11):
OK.
So when you're not on the Deskitself, what kinds of projects
are you working on?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:19):
So one of the things
that I do for PublicServices is I manage
all of our student workers.
So we have about 15 to 20,usually, in a given semester--
and so managing theirscheduling, their work
assignments, time sheets.
Sometimes they forgetto clock in for work,
(21:39):
making sure theyget paid on time,
things like that, that's a bigpart of what I do off the Desk.
ALEX MCGEE (21:45):
That's like a one-to-one ratio
of public services associatesto student workers.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:49):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (21:50):
Wow.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:50):
We have a huge department of student workers.
But we love them.
We actually just celebratedStudent Employee Appreciation
Week about two weeks ago, gavethem like gift bags and goodies
to thank them so much forwhat they do because they're
a big part of our department.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:05):
Did either of you work as student associates
in a library?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:09):
Yes, I did, in middle school.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:11):
Oh, wow.
[LAUGHTER]
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:13):
Yeah, we had a book club,
and it was held in the library.
And then I startedvolunteering after book club.
So I've been doing thispretty much my whole life.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:23):
Oh, that's great.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:24):
Yeah.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:25):
Yeah, what do you do, Diann,
outside of being on the Desk?
DIANN LINDSAY (22:28):
Yeah, so I am a part of the Gadget staffers,
so helping fulfill ReservationGadgets, Gadgets Pro.
I am the servicemanager for our LibChat
and LibAnswer, so thevirtual assistance
that you get when you call--or when you chat with us.
(22:50):
All of our team membersare part of that.
I help manage theroom reservations.
So when patrons book rooms,and they have anything come up,
we help--
I kind of help with that.
I also do a bunchof other projects
(23:13):
that I get asked todo that can include,
helping with LibGuides,events liaison.
So I work very closelywith the events team
and public programmingand managing our events
that are held at the library.
FRED RASCOE (23:32):
Alex, at the beginning of the show,
you kind of cautioned me aboutusing the word "everything."
but it's just like coming--
ALEX MCGEE (23:38):
I know.
FRED RASCOE (23:39):
It keeps coming back around.
ALEX MCGEE (23:40):
The list goes on and on.
DIANN LINDSAY (23:42):
Yes, yes.
I know there's otherthings, but that's the gist.
MARLEE GIVENS (23:47):
Well, and then we have
this great like PublicServices partnership program.
DIANN LINDSAY (23:51):
Yes, yes.
I had a public partnershipwith Martin Patrick,
head of Technical Services.
So I did some work withAlma Analytics with him
and updating the lettersthat people receive
(24:12):
when they check out booksor when they return books
or when they return any items.
That letter we wereable to update.
Yeah, we rely on yourdepartment as sort
of like the frontline with the user.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:24):
Yes.
MARLEE GIVENS (24:25):
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (24:26):
I just want to add one thing to the list,
because we're talkingabout everything.
But I mean, it is a library.
There are a few bookrequests every now and then?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:35):
Yes.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (24:37):
Just a couple.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:38):
Yeah.
So yeah, one of thequestions sometimes
that I get from patrons is, doyou guys actually have books?
Which of course,the answer is yes.
Yes, we have lots of books.
I think that question comes frommisconceptions from a few years
ago when the buildingswere getting renovated.
All the books were taken out.
(24:58):
Most of the collectionis off-site in storage
at the Library Service Center.
It's a facility that weshare with Emory University.
But we did bring back a corecollection of both textbooks
and academic books, as wellas popular reading, as well as
our Sci-Fi Lounge.
So we've got plenty,plenty of books that
do get checked out very often.
FRED RASCOE (25:19):
OK.
We've just got timefor one short question.
What have you learned aboutGeorgia Tech during your time
at the INFODesk?
Diann, let's start with you.
DIANN LINDSAY (25:31):
Yes, so what have I learned?
That Georgia Techstudents are incredibly
dedicated to their educationand the work and time
that they put intomaking sure they're
achieving all of their educationgoals while they're here.
FRED RASCOE (25:50):
Mariah?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Yeah, I would say (25:51):
undefined
I've learned thatGeorgia Tech is really
at the height and forefrontof innovation in higher ed.
The amount of projectsand initiatives on campus
that I've seen not just staffwork on, but also students
be able to be apart of is something
that I haven't experiencedat previous institutions
that I've worked at.
(26:12):
And so that's really inspiringand really cool to be a part of.
FRED RASCOE (26:16):
Inspiring things to see at the INFODesk.
This is Lost in theStacks, and today, we
visited the INFODesk for theGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (26:25):
And our guests were
Diann Lindsay andMariah McCauley,
Public Services Associatesat the Georgia Tech Library.
Thank you both forbeing on the show.
DIANN LINDSAY (26:34):
Thank you for having us.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (26:35):
Thank you.
ALEX MCGEE (26:36):
File this set under PS3619.C365.
[BREWER AND SHIPLEY, "WORKING ONTHE WELL"]
[BORN RUFFIANS, "WORKINGTOGETHER"] All good things are
free
Waving to nobody
(26:58):
[VOCALIZING]
That was "Working Together,"
by Born Ruffians and, beforethat, "Working on the Well,"
by Brewer and Shipley.
Songs about teamworkmaking the dream work.
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (27:20):
Today's episode of the Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook was called"The INFODesk."
It's the eighth episode in ourGuidebook series and the last
one of the 2024-2025school year.
We visited the Archives ReadingRoom, the Retro Tech Lab,
the Exhibit Gallery, TechnicalServices, the Library Records
(27:42):
Center, and the ScienceFiction Collection.
So where do y'all thinkwe should go next?
I think, since we haven'treally been here yet,
the Scholars Event Network.
FRED RASCOE (27:54):
Oh.
MARLEE GIVENS (27:54):
So it's kind of like a space
and a service and kindof a virtual thing.
FRED RASCOE (27:59):
Yeah, the programming space.
MARLEE GIVENS (28:00):
Yeah.
How about you, Fred?
FRED RASCOE (28:03):
I'm going to say a space that the general public
doesn't really haveaccess to that I just
saw for the first timea couple days ago,
the basement stacksfor the Archives.
And maybe, Alex, you cangive us a tour of that,
because it looked amazing.
ALEX MCGEE (28:18):
That's what I was going to say.
All right, Fred, if you reallywant me to give you a tour.
FRED RASCOE (28:21):
Right, yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
Cody, how about you?
CODY TURNER (28:25):
I noticed today that there
is a P floor in the elevator.
And I've been toldthat means "penthouse."
So I want to know what theLibrary penthouse looks like.
FRED RASCOE (28:36):
I don't know that either.
ALEX MCGEE (28:37):
Yeah, I don't know that either.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (28:40):
It's probably just a maintenance closet.
ALEX MCGEE (28:42):
That, honestly, it's like all the HVAC or something,
right?
FRED RASCOE (28:45):
Alex, how about you?
ALEX MCGEE (28:47):
I am going to say the Library Service Center.
That is our shared facilitywith Emory that is off-campus.
It's where we havea lot of books
and a lot ofarchival collections.
MARLEE GIVENS (28:59):
Does anyone know what Charlie would say?
FRED RASCOE (29:02):
He would say, roll the credits.
MARLEE GIVENS (29:04):
Yeah, all right.
[LAUGHTER]
Roll the credits.
[THE BLACK KEYS,"THICKFREAKNESS"]
Lost in the Stacksis a collaboration
between WREK Atlanta andthe Georgia Tech Library,
written and produced by AlexMcGee, Charlie Bennett, Fred
Rascoe, and Marlee Givens.
ALEX MCGEE (29:26):
Legal counsel and a case of double-sided tape
were provided by the BurrusIntellectual Property Law Group
in Atlanta, Georgia.
FRED RASCOE (29:32):
Going to fix a lot of graduation hats.
ALEX MCGEE (29:34):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (29:34):
Special Thanks to Diann and Mariah
for being on the show, to MackFreeman for the extra audio,
to everyone who visitsthe hub and heart
of the library, the INFODesk.
And thanks, as always, toeach and every one of you
for listening.
ALEX MCGEE (29:48):
Our web page is library.gatech.e
du/lostinthestacks, where you'llfind our most recent episode,
a link to our podcastfeed, and a web form,
if you want to getin touch with us.
MARLEE GIVENS (29:58):
For next week's show,
we'll let you behind thecurtain at Academic Engagement
and talk all aboutliaison models
at the Georgia Tech Library.
FRED RASCOE (30:07):
It's time for our last song.
After today's episode,we now know for sure
that the first stopfor any Georgia Tech
student on theirresearch journey,
or pretty much anyjourney, should
be the Library's INFODesk.
And to find the INFODesk, yougo to the Library and head
to the ground level.
If you're on the firstfloor, head down.
(30:27):
Come on.
So let's close with "GroundLevel" by Ekiti Son,
featuring Ellie Lawson, righthere on Lost in the Stacks.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
[THE BLACK KEYS,"THICKFREAKNESS"]
[EKITI SON, FEATURING ELLIELAWSON, "GROUND LEVEL"]
(30:49):
(SINGING) Yeah
[VOCALIZING]
(00:02):
[DOOBIE BROTHERS, "CHINA GROVE"]
MACK FREEMAN (00:04):
When you're open 24/7,
there's alwaysjust somebody here.
There's always thatstuff going on.
On the flip side, though, itdoes mean that there's always
something going on.
You need people here constantly.
18 people mightsound like a big team
to run these publicservices, but not when
you need somebody atthe desk and somebody's
able to do equipment deliveryand all of that all the time.
(00:24):
The team that we havehere that does that work,
they are incrediblygood at what they do.
They are incredibly responsibleand responsive to the students,
and they have a passionfor doing that work,
but also doing thatwork in moments
where you can createmore of a connection
rather than just thesheer mass of the people
that come in throughout the day.
(00:45):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (01:08):
You are listening to WREK Atlanta,
and this is Lost in theStacks-- the Research Library
Rock and Roll Radio Show.
I'm Marlee Givens, and I'm inthe studio with Alex McGee, Fred
Rascoe, Cody Turner.
We're missing our captain.
[LAUGHTER]
But we will persevere.
Each week on Lost in theStacks, we pick a theme
(01:29):
and then use it to create amix of music and library talk.
Whichever you're herefor, we hope you dig it.
ALEX MCGEE (01:36):
Our show today is called "The INFODesk."
This is part 8 in our series,The Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (01:42):
On the first Friday of each month,
we visit a site inthe Guidebook and talk
about a space or service inthe Georgia Tech Library.
FRED RASCOE (01:49):
Our site today sounds
like a singlepiece of furniture,
but the space and its servicescover half a floor of the Price
Gilbert Library.
It's a patrons-firststop when they
get to the library anda portal to everything
the library offers.
ALEX MCGEE (02:04):
Well, Fred, everything's a really big word.
FRED RASCOE (02:07):
Well, you start at the INFODesk
and then you get to everything.
They can help you or findthe person who can help you.
ALEX MCGEE (02:14):
Hm.
All right, I'll allow it.
FRED RASCOE (02:16):
OK, thanks.
MARLEE GIVENS (02:17):
[LAUGHS] Our guests today
are public services associateswho know how the INFODesk works
and what it can dofor library visitors.
FRED RASCOE (02:24):
And our songs today all align
with the servicemission of the INFODesk,
answering questions,being available
no matter the time ofday, and working together.
MARLEE GIVENS (02:31):
Hey, Fred?
FRED RASCOE (02:33):
Yeah?
MARLEE GIVENS (02:33):
Did you find any songs about desks?
FRED RASCOE (02:34):
You know what?
I did?
[LAUGHTER]
You want me to play one?
MARLEE GIVENS (02:38):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (02:38):
All right, this is "Low Desk, High Shelf"
by The Green Child, righthere on Lost in the Stacks.
[THE GREEN CHILD, "LOW DESK,HIGH SHELF"]
ALEX MCGEE (02:56):
That was "Low Desk, High Shelf," by The Green Child.
Our show today iscalled "The INFODesk,"
and it's the eighth in ourGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook
series.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:06):
On the first Friday of each month,
we visit a sitefrom the Guidebook,
which is a virtual guidebook.
It's one that we made up.
FRED RASCOE (03:16):
Like an audio guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:18):
Well, it is, yeah, exactly.
So in the Guidebook series,we feature a space or service
in the Georgia Tech Library.
And we have two guides with ustoday, Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley, Public ServicesAssociates at the Georgia Tech
Library.
So welcome both ofyou to the show.
DIANN LINDSAY (03:35):
Thank you for having me.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (03:36):
Thanks.
Thanks for having us.
MARLEE GIVENS (03:38):
Yeah.
So we want to talk,I guess, first
about the INFODesk as a space.
Just give us yourimpression of what
it's like to just bethere on your shift.
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Yeah, so the INFODesk (03:52):
undefined
is a really coolplace in the library,
in my personal/professionalopinion.
We are on the groundfloor of Price Gilbert.
We've got three deskswith these big signs.
And we've got these amazingfloor-to-ceiling windows
behind us, where we havelots of natural light.
(04:12):
And it's just a coolplace to be because we're
at the intersection of threebuildings-- so Clough, Price
Gilbert and Crosland Tower.
And so all thepeople who are coming
to what our dean likes to callthe scholarly heart of campus,
we get to see everyonecome into our space.
DIANN LINDSAY (04:31):
Yes, and it's one of those spaces
that, no matter if youare new to the campus
or you went here a long timeago, we welcome you with a smile
and say, welcome back.
And it's a place whereyou can come to us
and ask any type of question orask for any type of assistance.
(04:55):
And as long as we can get youat least to some sort of answer
or maybe to thecorrect person that
can provide the best answer, wefeel like we have done our job.
MARLEE GIVENS (05:10):
So is there a typical type of person
that you see, or does itdepend on the time of day
or the time of semester?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: I would definitely (05:17):
undefined
say the time of the semester,throughout the year, definitely.
So we're coming up on summer.
So during summer, we have alot of public patrons come
in, a lot of high schoolers,pre-college students, summer
camp, as well.
So we get a lot of thosetypes of patrons, of course,
during the school year, GeorgiaTech students, both undergrad
(05:40):
and graduate, as wellas faculty and staff.
So we get a really,really cool, diverse group
of the people that come in.
DIANN LINDSAY (05:47):
Yeah.
And I definitely think itdepends on the time of day, too,
because we are a 24/7 library.
So we have three shifts of staffthat cover the desk all day,
all night.
And so the peoplethat we sometimes
see on the day shiftor the midday shift
(06:07):
is going to be a lot differentthan who the people see
on the second or third shift.
Now, typically, they'realways, usually,
students who are they're really,really studying and really
leaning into their education.
But during the day, whenwe do have visitor hours,
that's where we see a lotmore of the public come in.
FRED RASCOE (06:31):
So, Diane, you mentioned the demarcation line
between the day shiftand the night shift
for the studentsthat are coming in.
Are you-- you'recurrently day shift--
DIANN LINDSAY (06:41):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (06:42):
--employee Have you always been day shift?
DIANN LINDSAY (06:44):
I have not.
So when I started at theGeorgia Tech Library,
I was a second shift Tuesdaythrough Saturday employee.
So I worked 1:30 PM to 10:00PM, which I came from a position
that was a 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
But because of themove, and I was
excited to start my career here,I said, yep, let's do this.
(07:08):
And so I was able tosee and now experience
a lot different type of--
the experience was different.
The number of people that wesee between 1:30 and 8:00 PM,
a lot different than8:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
FRED RASCOE (07:28):
Is there a shorthand that you could use
to describe the differencebetween someone that comes
in at 1:00 in the afternoonversus someone 1:00
in the morning?
DIANN LINDSAY: Tired versus alert. (07:40):
undefined
FRED RASCOE (07:42):
Right.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (07:45):
So yeah.
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (07:47):
How does the vibe change over
the course of the day?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: I'd say, of course, (07:51):
undefined
early morning, we'vegot those overachievers,
people who are upbright and early,
ready to get their day started.
I'd say, after aroundlunchtime-- it also depends
on the day of the week, too.
So during the week, we'vegot people typically
following their normalclass schedules, right?
So they come in during breaks.
(08:12):
And most people have classesmaybe Tuesday, Thursday,
so they come inMonday, Wednesday.
I also work on Sundays.
And it's really interestingbecause Sunday morning,
it's completely dead.
Everyone's sleeping in.
And then lunchtime hits, andpeople are like, oh, shoot,
I have an assignmentdue tomorrow.
[LAUGHTER]
Let me come in.
So right around 2 o'clock,we start getting busy.
(08:33):
It's like clockwork.
ALEX MCGEE (08:34):
I really wanted to picture, like, Club Library,
like 10:00 to 1:00 in themorning, maybe there's a looser,
more fun vibe.
I don't know.
That's what I've-- the pictureI've painted in my head.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (08:48):
So I will tell you, I was here--
the last two weekshave been finals.
So we have seen anuptick in just the number
of people in the librarystudying and being there.
And I was here till about 9:30last Friday because I was also
studying and getting workdone on my own program.
(09:08):
And there were a ton ofpeople in the library.
And I think, in order toget through the stress,
they were having a good time.
So.
FRED RASCOE (09:19):
All right, this is Lost in the Stacks.
We are going to hear morefrom Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley after a music set.
ALEX MCGEE (09:27):
File this set under HF5415.5.H86.
[HELLO YELLO, "HELP AGAIN"]
[BOBBY THURSTON, "JUST ASK ME"]Just ask me, baby
(09:52):
Ooh, ooh just ask me
Ooh, just ask me, baby
Ooh, ooh just ask me
That was "Just Ask Me,"
by Bobby Thurston and,before that, "Help Again,"
by Hello Yello--
songs about helpingpeople who ask.
(10:12):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (10:18):
This is Lost in the Stacks,
and today's show iscalled "The INFODesk."
It's another episode for ourGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook.
FRED RASCOE (10:25):
On the Grove Level of the Library,
you can find the INFODeskstaffed by public services
associates like our guests,Diann Lindsay and Mariah
McCauley.
So I mentioned atthe top of the show
that the INFODesk is likethe gateway to everything,
which kind of soundslike, oh, any service
you want, yeah, you can get it.
(10:46):
But of course, that's not true.
But it is just more than comingup and asking for a book.
So, Mariah, let'sstart with you.
What are the kind of servicesthat a person coming up
to the INFODesk might expector that might expect from you?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Absolutely, yeah. (11:01):
undefined
So we have a myriad of differentservices that we offer.
The main one is, of course,research and reference help.
So anyone that needs to findmaterials for their research,
for their courses, we havea lot of course reserves
that we check out, so textbooks,equipment, things like that.
(11:23):
We also have what'scalled our Gadget Service.
So Instant Gadgetsis where we have
items that are availableimmediately for checkout.
So that's calculators, chargers,Wacom tablets, styluses,
headphones, things like that.
We also have ReservationGadgets, which is something
that they can askus questions about,
(11:43):
and we tell them how todo it online and make
their reservation.
We also do a lot of justdirectional questions,
IT help, printing services.
Those are the thingsoff the top of my head.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (11:56):
OK.
I'm wrong.
It is everything.
[LAUGHTER]
I just wanted--
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Almost everything. (12:00):
undefined
FRED RASCOE (12:02):
I want to point out one thing.
You said you check out, as partof gadgets, all the cameras
and chargers and everything.
Calculators?
Which in my mind, I thinkevery student has one
as part of theirphone that they have
with them, or on their laptop.
But calculators are somethingthat gets checked how often?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:19):
Very often.
They're one of our mostpopular circulating items.
FRED RASCOE (12:23):
Wow.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:23):
You've got both scientific calculators
and graphing calculators.
I think, with the phone, a lotof professors don't allow them--
FRED RASCOE (12:31):
Oh, OK.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:32):
--to use their phones, especially during exams
and things like that.
So they, maybe during theirnormal homework sessions
and stuff, they mightuse their phone.
But especially duringexams, they come and check
out a calculator.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (12:43):
Diann, did we leave anything off that list?
DIANN LINDSAY (12:46):
Oh, my gosh.
Let me think.
24-hour laptops.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (12:51):
Yes.
DIANN LINDSAY (12:52):
So 24-hour laptops are available
for Georgia Tech patronswith a valid BuzzCard.
And we have WindowsSurfaces and MacBook--
Apple MacBooks.
So those are availablefor checkout.
Anytime that you have an issuewith your laptop, come see us.
(13:13):
We can help you out.
MARLEE GIVENS (13:15):
Oh, that's great.
Can you think of anything maybethat was a surprising ask,
of someone walking in, andthey needed something that you
don't normally check out?
DIANN LINDSAY (13:29):
Headphones.
Oh, that we don'tnormally check out?
MARLEE GIVENS (13:33):
I mean, something that may be out of the ordinary
that you have, but is not likea popular circulating thing.
ALEX MCGEE (13:42):
Karaoke mics.
Let's just-- karaoke speakers.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (13:45):
[LAUGHS]
ALEX MCGEE (13:46):
I don't know, Club Library.
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Well, we've had people (13:47):
undefined
do karaoke on Tech Green withsome of the reservation gadgets,
so that was fun.
DIANN LINDSAY (13:52):
Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, I got a couple photos.
FRED RASCOE (13:54):
You were joking about it, but it's real.
DIANN LINDSAY (13:55):
I know.
You joke about it,but we literally--
Tech Green becomes aparty with our PA systems.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (14:02):
Yep.
MARLEE GIVENS (14:03):
Anything analog?
We've been talking aboutequipment and stuff.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:08):
I had a request, and this
was sometime thissemester, somebody
was looking for acassette tape converter.
FRED RASCOE (14:15):
Oh.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:16):
Like, I want to--
I have--
FRED RASCOE (14:17):
To digitize it?
DIANN LINDSAY (14:18):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (14:18):
Right, OK.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:19):
I gave them the information for Retro Tech.
FRED RASCOE (14:22):
Nice.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:22):
Dillon Henry, hopefully--
I don't know what theconnection was there, but--
FRED RASCOE (14:27):
Yeah, we've talked about Retro Tech on the show.
Dillon's been on a couple times.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:30):
Yeah.
So hopefully, they connected.
And I don't know whatthe story was behind it,
but they had collectedcassette tapes,
and they needed to do somethingwith them, digital-wise.
MARLEE GIVENS (14:42):
Wow.
FRED RASCOE (14:43):
What about anything not necessarily
looking for an itemor a digital resource,
just unusual requeststhat have happened?
I think, off theair, you mentioned
one that sounded prettyinteresting to me.
DIANN LINDSAY (14:58):
Yeah, so it is commencement weekend at Georgia
Tech.
Congratulations toall of our graduates.
And I was at theINFODesk yesterday,
and one of our graduatescame to the Information Desk
and was a little frazzledbecause he, unfortunately,
broke--
(15:18):
essentially, brokehis graduation cap.
And so he wanted to try tostaple it back together.
And the only type of stapler wehad available at the INFODesk
is an electric one.
And that was just not goingto work for his situation.
So--
FRED RASCOE (15:36):
He was a little stressed out.
DIANN LINDSAY (15:37):
He was stressed out,
and I felt really bad becauseI think he was probably
running a little late.
And so we have some double sticktape at the Information Desk.
And so I went intomy craft mode,
and I said, here, let megrab the staple remover.
You remove the staples.
I'll grab the double stick tape.
We made it work.
(15:59):
It fit on his head.
I sent him on his way so hecould go to commencement.
FRED RASCOE (16:02):
You engineered it?
DIANN LINDSAY (16:03):
I did.
FRED RASCOE (16:03):
It was a Georgia Tech solution.
MARLEE GIVENS (16:05):
Oh, that's great.
DIANN LINDSAY (16:06):
I did, yeah, yes.
MARLEE GIVENS (16:08):
So it's this time of year,
and you might get somegraduating students.
Does anyone evercome in and they say,
[GASPS] I wish Ihad known that you
had this when I first started.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:23):
So many times.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (16:25):
I heard it yesterday.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:27):
Yeah.
I've had a studentcome up-- well,
it was an alumni by this point.
He said, I was herefor four years,
and I never knew thatyou guys were here.
I guess he'd always comein on the first floor
and never came downto the ground floor.
FRED RASCOE (16:42):
Like, didn't know the library had a desk.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (16:44):
Yes, right.
And there's so many thingsthat I was telling him
that we do, like thelaptops, for example,
that we just talked about.
He was like, oh, my gosh.
And he was like, well, canI come back as an alumni?
And I said, yes, you'revery welcome to come back.
DIANN LINDSAY (16:56):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (16:57):
So they missed out on the moon rock.
Y'all are also thekeepers of the moon rock.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (17:01):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (17:01):
Excuse me, lunar sample.
DIANN LINDSAY (17:02):
Yes, we do have the lunar sample adjacent
to the Information Desk.
ALEX MCGEE (17:09):
You are listening to Lost in the Stacks,
and we'll hear moreabout the INFODesk
at the Georgia Tech Libraryon the left side of the hour.
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
[OK GO, "BACK FROM KATHMANDU"]
JANE GILVIN (17:28):
This is Jane Gilvin, NPR Librarian.
You're listening to Lost inthe Stacks, the one and only
research library rockand roll radio show.
(SINGING) In the dream,you were someone different
MARLEE GIVENS (17:47):
Today's show is called "The INFODesk."
The Georgia Tech Librarywebsite has a page dedicated
to the INFODesk, and thatpage's headline reads,
"Welcome to the researchlibrary of the 21st century.
Your first stop will likely bethe library INFODesk located
on the Grove Levelin Price Gilbert."
It's interesting that we referto this as your first stop
(18:08):
rather than calling this area ahub or the heart of the library.
And sure, a lot ofthings happen there,
but the INFODesk alsoexists in the online space.
And the folks whowork there also
spread out around the libraryand other service areas.
And I think thatexpansiveness is
one thing that sets this episodeof the Georgia Tech Library
(18:29):
Guidebook series apartfrom previous shows.
Back in 2021, we interviewedMack Freeman, who was then
Head of Public Services.
And this is what he had to sayabout the Price Gilbert Grove.
MACK FREEMAN (18:42):
The hub for a lot of things
has become that GroveLevel of Price Gilbert
where the INFODesk is becauseit's on a main thoroughfare
that people walk by.
And there's alwayssomebody stationed there.
And so you can always knowthat you can go there and get
a question answered.
Coffee shops andeateries that are around
are places where people gather.
The sixth floor andthe Grad Student Lounge
(19:03):
is certainly a hub anda heart for people.
The seventh floorreading rooms, it's
like you can goand live up there.
Don't make any noise, or theywill give you the meanest looks.
Depending on who the studentis or who the user is,
they're making theirown heart on campus.
I kind of see the same facesclustering in the same spots.
And so while the heartof Public Services
might be at the GroveLevel of Price Gilbert,
(19:26):
I think that people arefinding their own spots
and their own spaces tomake this library their own,
with its new visage and model.
[STEELY DAN, "DO IT AGAIN"]
MARLEE GIVENS (19:39):
The INFODesk--
the first, but not thelast, stop in your journey
through the Library.
File this set under Z675.U5I566.
[THE STRANGELOVES, "NIGHT TIME"]
(20:00):
[THE SHOP ASSISTANTS, "ALL DAYLONG"]
"All Day Long," byThe Shop Assistants.
Before that, we heard "Midnightto Six," by Kym Bradshaw,
with The Jolt, and we startedour set with "Night Time,"
by the Strangeloves-- songsabout times one might stop
to visit the INFODesk
(20:22):
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
ALEX MCGEE (20:25):
This is Lost in the Stacks,
and our show today is partof The Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook.
Today's episode is all aboutthe INFODesk at the Georgia Tech
Library.
And our guests are PublicServices Associates Diann
Lindsay and Mariah McCauley.
I want to hear a littlebit about Diann and Mariah
as people, not justabout where they work.
(20:47):
So how long have you bothbeen here at the Library?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (20:51):
So I started at Georgia Tech a year
and a half ago, exactly.
Yes, but I've been working inlibraries for seven years now.
DIANN LINDSAY (20:59):
I started at Georgia Tech Library
in March of 2023.
In total, I have about fiveand a half years in libraries.
MARLEE GIVENS (21:11):
OK.
So when you're not on the Deskitself, what kinds of projects
are you working on?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:19):
So one of the things
that I do for PublicServices is I manage
all of our student workers.
So we have about 15 to 20,usually, in a given semester--
and so managing theirscheduling, their work
assignments, time sheets.
Sometimes they forgetto clock in for work,
(21:39):
making sure theyget paid on time,
things like that, that's a bigpart of what I do off the Desk.
ALEX MCGEE (21:45):
That's like a one-to-one ratio
of public services associatesto student workers.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:49):
Yes.
ALEX MCGEE (21:50):
Wow.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (21:50):
We have a huge department of student workers.
But we love them.
We actually just celebratedStudent Employee Appreciation
Week about two weeks ago, gavethem like gift bags and goodies
to thank them so much forwhat they do because they're
a big part of our department.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:05):
Did either of you work as student associates
in a library?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:09):
Yes, I did, in middle school.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:11):
Oh, wow.
[LAUGHTER]
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:13):
Yeah, we had a book club,
and it was held in the library.
And then I startedvolunteering after book club.
So I've been doing thispretty much my whole life.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:23):
Oh, that's great.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (22:24):
Yeah.
MARLEE GIVENS (22:25):
Yeah, what do you do, Diann,
outside of being on the Desk?
DIANN LINDSAY (22:28):
Yeah, so I am a part of the Gadget staffers,
so helping fulfill ReservationGadgets, Gadgets Pro.
I am the servicemanager for our LibChat
and LibAnswer, so thevirtual assistance
that you get when you call--or when you chat with us.
(22:50):
All of our team membersare part of that.
I help manage theroom reservations.
So when patrons book rooms,and they have anything come up,
we help--
I kind of help with that.
I also do a bunchof other projects
(23:13):
that I get asked todo that can include,
helping with LibGuides,events liaison.
So I work very closelywith the events team
and public programmingand managing our events
that are held at the library.
FRED RASCOE (23:32):
Alex, at the beginning of the show,
you kind of cautioned me aboutusing the word "everything."
but it's just like coming--
ALEX MCGEE (23:38):
I know.
FRED RASCOE (23:39):
It keeps coming back around.
ALEX MCGEE (23:40):
The list goes on and on.
DIANN LINDSAY (23:42):
Yes, yes.
I know there's otherthings, but that's the gist.
MARLEE GIVENS (23:47):
Well, and then we have
this great like PublicServices partnership program.
DIANN LINDSAY (23:51):
Yes, yes.
I had a public partnershipwith Martin Patrick,
head of Technical Services.
So I did some work withAlma Analytics with him
and updating the lettersthat people receive
(24:12):
when they check out booksor when they return books
or when they return any items.
That letter we wereable to update.
Yeah, we rely on yourdepartment as sort
of like the frontline with the user.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:24):
Yes.
MARLEE GIVENS (24:25):
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (24:26):
I just want to add one thing to the list,
because we're talkingabout everything.
But I mean, it is a library.
There are a few bookrequests every now and then?
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:35):
Yes.
[LAUGHTER]
DIANN LINDSAY (24:37):
Just a couple.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (24:38):
Yeah.
So yeah, one of thequestions sometimes
that I get from patrons is, doyou guys actually have books?
Which of course,the answer is yes.
Yes, we have lots of books.
I think that question comes frommisconceptions from a few years
ago when the buildingswere getting renovated.
All the books were taken out.
(24:58):
Most of the collectionis off-site in storage
at the Library Service Center.
It's a facility that weshare with Emory University.
But we did bring back a corecollection of both textbooks
and academic books, as wellas popular reading, as well as
our Sci-Fi Lounge.
So we've got plenty,plenty of books that
do get checked out very often.
FRED RASCOE (25:19):
OK.
We've just got timefor one short question.
What have you learned aboutGeorgia Tech during your time
at the INFODesk?
Diann, let's start with you.
DIANN LINDSAY (25:31):
Yes, so what have I learned?
That Georgia Techstudents are incredibly
dedicated to their educationand the work and time
that they put intomaking sure they're
achieving all of their educationgoals while they're here.
FRED RASCOE (25:50):
Mariah?
MARIAH MCCAULEY: Yeah, I would say (25:51):
undefined
I've learned thatGeorgia Tech is really
at the height and forefrontof innovation in higher ed.
The amount of projectsand initiatives on campus
that I've seen not just staffwork on, but also students
be able to be apart of is something
that I haven't experiencedat previous institutions
that I've worked at.
(26:12):
And so that's really inspiringand really cool to be a part of.
FRED RASCOE (26:16):
Inspiring things to see at the INFODesk.
This is Lost in theStacks, and today, we
visited the INFODesk for theGeorgia Tech Library Guidebook.
MARLEE GIVENS (26:25):
And our guests were
Diann Lindsay andMariah McCauley,
Public Services Associatesat the Georgia Tech Library.
Thank you both forbeing on the show.
DIANN LINDSAY (26:34):
Thank you for having us.
MARIAH MCCAULEY (26:35):
Thank you.
ALEX MCGEE (26:36):
File this set under PS3619.C365.
[BREWER AND SHIPLEY, "WORKING ONTHE WELL"]
[BORN RUFFIANS, "WORKINGTOGETHER"] All good things are
free
Waving to nobody
(26:58):
[VOCALIZING]
That was "Working Together,"
by Born Ruffians and, beforethat, "Working on the Well,"
by Brewer and Shipley.
Songs about teamworkmaking the dream work.
[TELEVISION, "FRICTION"]
MARLEE GIVENS (27:20):
Today's episode of the Georgia Tech Library
Guidebook was called"The INFODesk."
It's the eighth episode in ourGuidebook series and the last
one of the 2024-2025school year.
We visited the Archives ReadingRoom, the Retro Tech Lab,
the Exhibit Gallery, TechnicalServices, the Library Records
(27:42):
Center, and the ScienceFiction Collection.
So where do y'all thinkwe should go next?
I think, since we haven'treally been here yet,
the Scholars Event Network.
FRED RASCOE (27:54):
Oh.
MARLEE GIVENS (27:54):
So it's kind of like a space
and a service and kindof a virtual thing.
FRED RASCOE (27:59):
Yeah, the programming space.
MARLEE GIVENS (28:00):
Yeah.
How about you, Fred?
FRED RASCOE (28:03):
I'm going to say a space that the general public
doesn't really haveaccess to that I just
saw for the first timea couple days ago,
the basement stacksfor the Archives.
And maybe, Alex, you cangive us a tour of that,
because it looked amazing.
ALEX MCGEE (28:18):
That's what I was going to say.
All right, Fred, if you reallywant me to give you a tour.
FRED RASCOE (28:21):
Right, yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
Cody, how about you?
CODY TURNER (28:25):
I noticed today that there
is a P floor in the elevator.
And I've been toldthat means "penthouse."
So I want to know what theLibrary penthouse looks like.
FRED RASCOE (28:36):
I don't know that either.
ALEX MCGEE (28:37):
Yeah, I don't know that either.
Yeah.
FRED RASCOE (28:40):
It's probably just a maintenance closet.
ALEX MCGEE (28:42):
That, honestly, it's like all the HVAC or something,
right?
FRED RASCOE (28:45):
Alex, how about you?
ALEX MCGEE (28:47):
I am going to say the Library Service Center.
That is our shared facilitywith Emory that is off-campus.
It's where we havea lot of books
and a lot ofarchival collections.
MARLEE GIVENS (28:59):
Does anyone know what Charlie would say?
FRED RASCOE (29:02):
He would say, roll the credits.
MARLEE GIVENS (29:04):
Yeah, all right.
[LAUGHTER]
Roll the credits.
[THE BLACK KEYS,"THICKFREAKNESS"]
Lost in the Stacksis a collaboration
between WREK Atlanta andthe Georgia Tech Library,
written and produced by AlexMcGee, Charlie Bennett, Fred
Rascoe, and Marlee Givens.
ALEX MCGEE (29:26):
Legal counsel and a case of double-sided tape
were provided by the BurrusIntellectual Property Law Group
in Atlanta, Georgia.
FRED RASCOE (29:32):
Going to fix a lot of graduation hats.
ALEX MCGEE (29:34):
Yes.
FRED RASCOE (29:34):
Special Thanks to Diann and Mariah
for being on the show, to MackFreeman for the extra audio,
to everyone who visitsthe hub and heart
of the library, the INFODesk.
And thanks, as always, toeach and every one of you
for listening.
ALEX MCGEE (29:48):
Our web page is library.gatech.e
du/lostinthestacks, where you'llfind our most recent episode,
a link to our podcastfeed, and a web form,
if you want to getin touch with us.
MARLEE GIVENS (29:58):
For next week's show,
we'll let you behind thecurtain at Academic Engagement
and talk all aboutliaison models
at the Georgia Tech Library.
FRED RASCOE (30:07):
It's time for our last song.
After today's episode,we now know for sure
that the first stopfor any Georgia Tech
student on theirresearch journey,
or pretty much anyjourney, should
be the Library's INFODesk.
And to find the INFODesk, yougo to the Library and head
to the ground level.
If you're on the firstfloor, head down.
(30:27):
Come on.
So let's close with "GroundLevel" by Ekiti Son,
featuring Ellie Lawson, righthere on Lost in the Stacks.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
[THE BLACK KEYS,"THICKFREAKNESS"]
[EKITI SON, FEATURING ELLIELAWSON, "GROUND LEVEL"]
(30:49):
(SINGING) Yeah
[VOCALIZING]
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