The COVID pandemic changed life as we know it and transformed how we taught classes and acquired knowledge. And The ETSU Sherrod Library, with the help of Jonathan Wilson, Distance/ Online Service Coordinator addressed these challenges by developing The Personal Librarian (PL) program for students.

Book Summary: This book provides real-world advice and ideas drawn from case studies to help academic libraries support students academically, socially, and financially, especially those who are facing barriers.

In an effort to improve retention and promote library services to new incoming students, the Sherrod Library staff at East Tennessee State University discussed different ideas and decided to expand the Lending Technology Program & Personal Librarian (PL) program to include First Generation and Transfer students. To help decrease library anxiety, students received by email a weekly newsletter of events and workshops happening in the library. These emails also personally reached out and regularly informed the students of information literacy skills such as navigating the library website, subject guides, tutoring center, and citation help. Additionally, the students received a short two-minute YouTube video bi-monthly that showed a different department in the library. The PL acts as a guide to help direct the students to the proper resources while presenting a friendly and approachable person for the students to interact with when asking for help.