The Georgetown University Library is fortunate to have many friends and supporters, and some of its most loyal allies and advocates are the undergrad and grad students on the Student Library Council (SLC). The SLC includes representatives from every school and college at Georgetown with various interests and club affiliations, providing the library with valuable feedback and suggestions from a wide range of voices and backgrounds.
The SLC is the ideal sounding board when library staff have questions about services, collections, or space and need honest feedback about how the library’s resources can be best harnessed to benefit the Georgetown community. SLC members also serve as ambassadors between the student body and the library, bringing issues to our attention and helping us get the word out about events and opportunities available to other students.
The staff dearly thanks everyone who served on the SLC this year, especially the four wonderful members who graduated in May 2024 and agreed to share some of their SLC experiences, outlined below.
Angela Nguyen
BA, History ‘24
Angela has been a lover of libraries since she was a child and even helped plan programming at her school and public libraries in high school. She was the first person to apply to the Student Library Council when we reconstituted the group after returning to campus after the pandemic. She was instrumental in library collaborations with student groups like the Vietnamese Students’ Association and the Photography Club. During all four years at Georgetown, Angela worked as a student Circulation Assistant at the Georgetown University Kennedy Institute of Ethics Library and was a volunteer and active member of the Maker Hub.
Do you have any advice for our readers?
Angela: "Check the library first! The library is here to serve you! So many resources are available for free through the library and library staff are more than happy to help you find what you need whether it be a book, movie, article, or craft item!"
Brianna Miller
BS, Human Science ‘24
In addition to being a positive force on the SLC and a member of the Lattes and Lit Book Club, Brianna could frequently be found studying on the 5th floor of Lauinger. During her time at Georgetown, she worked on pediatric cancer survivorship research through the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and plans to pursue a career in medicine with a focus on treating underserved populations.
What’s your favorite thing about the library?
“My favorite thing about the library is that it serves as a gathering place for the Georgetown community. Even when I’m stressed about my next exam, I can always count on bumping into a friend at Lau!”
What should people know about the library?
“People should know that the library is so much more than a study space or a resource to get books! Some of my favorite services the library offers include the Maker Hub, LinkedIn Learning, and research databases!”
Cece Ochoa
BS, Physics ‘24
In addition to being a long-standing member of the Student Library Council, Cece also worked for the Students of Georgetown Inc. (The Corp) in the Midnight Mug on Lau 2, and was on the Lattes and Lit Steering Committee. As a member of Physicists Against Racism, she coordinated a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon in collaboration with the library to increase the visibility of physicists from underrepresented backgrounds. This September, Cece will be starting a physics PhD with a focus on experimental cosmology.
What should people know about the library?
“I think that people should know about all the amazing resources at Lau! For example, many of my friends and I took some of our graduation photos with cameras borrowed at the circulation desk and edited the photos in the Gelardin Center.”
Did you enjoy your time on the Student Library Council? What did you like most about it?
“I absolutely loved my time on SLC! It introduced me to so many amazing students, faculty, and staff that I otherwise would have never met. More than anything else, I also felt like it was a way I could help shape Lau in a way that would benefit students and the Georgetown community.”
Julian Jimenez
BS, Philosophy ’24
Julian was born in Colombia and grew up in Ireland. As the Georgetown University Student Association’s (GUSA) representative to the Student Library Council, Julian played an important advocacy role for students. He has been one of the most active members of the SLC and could be counted on to provide insightful suggestions about the future of the library and ways to improve resources, services, and spaces.
Julian is beginning seminarian formation for the Catholic priesthood under the Archdiocese of Washington.
What’s your favorite thing about the library?
“My favorite thing about Lau is the people. You might think that because the library exterior is a little ugly, your Lau experience will be bleak. But inside, you will find welcoming and helpful staff, and you might have some of your core Georgetown memories inside, whether it be fooling around with friends instead of studying or pulling an all-nighter.”
What should people know about the library?
“The library has more services than you know. This includes loaning equipment, the MakerHub (which includes 3D printers), free classes, HoyaSearch, and trying on a VR headset. For example, I borrowed a professional camera for my graduation, and the photos were great. Pro tip: book it a month in advance.”
Did you enjoy your time on the Student Library Council? What did you like most about it?
“I did enjoy it. Being on the Library Council had the perks of being in a club without an additional workload. You get to help make the library better for everyone, you get to meet new people, you get to know the library staff better, and you learn so much about the library’s services. The library staff are eager to hear your opinions. For example, during my time, the Library Council gave a lot of feedback on renovations for Lau 3.”
A call for new members to the SLC will go out at the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.