Meghan E. O’Neill joins the Pingree
community this year as the school’s librarian. She holds a B.A. from Bishop’s
University, an M.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.L.S. from the University
of California at Los Angeles. Following is an essay she wrote
about her philosophy regarding libraries in this digital age.
Today’s school library is an exciting, innovative learning
space that fosters several key themes in Pingree’s mission statement: academic
excellence, a love of learning, and independent and imaginative thinking. As the incoming Library Director at the
Pingree School, it is my goal to build upon the existing strengths of current
library resources and services, and to ensure that faculty and students have
efficient access to research and educational tools.
Faculty and students at Pingree have a vast amount of
information available to them. In
addition to more than 11,000 print volumes and over 60 periodicals and journals
available on campus, Pingree community members also have access to an interlibrary
loan network of nearly 20 independent school libraries. The NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange)
Digital Library provides access to online collections of multiple public and
academic libraries. The environmental
impact of collaborative resource sharing is an important part of Pingree’s
efforts to contribute to a greener future.
Online resources are a highly utilized and efficient means
of searching for information and are a key component to a dynamic school
library. I will be working closely with
the Technology Department to provide students with access to laptops and
e-Readers for research and recreational reading. We will also be enabling remote access for
all library digital resources including the library catalog, an expanded
collection of academic databases, and newly-designed video tutorials that
provide students with information literacy skills such as website evaluation
and avoiding plagiarism.
The Pingree Library is a central part of campus, one that
echoes what is happening within the community as well as in the world at
large. Student groups are invited to
create visual displays and to recommend titles for the collection that
celebrate diversity. By supporting the
curriculum, stimulating the development of intellectual curiosity, and
encouraging a love of reading, I hope to bring my passion for life and learning
to the Pingree community via the many wonderful assets of its library.
