The UW Tacoma Library is in its second year of the Student Library Advocacy Board (SLAB)!
**The deadline to submit interest form is Wednesday, October 11th 2023 by 5:00pm!**
The UW Tacoma Library facilitates the exploration of academic, personal, and intellectual interests through access to resources, spaces, and research support. In other words, the library exists for YOU, the students of UW Tacoma, so that you can learn, grow, and thrive. We think students should be at the table where decisions are being made and help guide the planning that will affect you. You use the space, resources, and services, so you should have a say. A big one.
Why does a Student Library Advocacy Board matter?
- The library wants to live its values of equity and inclusion by collectively building new processes that center your voices.
- By participating in collective advocacy, you will be making the library a place that better suits student needs.
What’s in it for you?
- Enact meaningful change through relationship building and build a community of care with fellow students and library staff
- Learn about shared governance by co-creating the established student library advocacy board
- Create a library that serves all current and future students and advocate for accessibility needs, anti-racist work, gender inclusive spaces, and more
- Form peer mentoring relationships with your student colleagues
- Explore library work and related career possibilities
- Earn a stipend of $200 per quarter for a total of $600 (minimum attendance requirements will be discussed in our first meeting)
Don’t take our word for it — here’s what the previous SLAB said!
What are the expectations?
- You can commit to participating during all quarters — Fall 2023, Winter and Spring quarters 2024
- You can attend virtual, 60-90 minute meetings every two weeks (exact schedule TBD)
- You can engage thoughtfully with the ideas discussed and adhere to the collectively created community agreements
- You can complete light readings as necessary to inform our discussions and bring the ideas we discuss to your communities for feedback
What do you have to do to join?
- Interested in joining yourself? All UW Tacoma students are eligible: no prior experience, history of library use, or lengthy application necessary! Please fill out our Interest Form to tell us a little about yourself and what you hope to bring to this group. We especially encourage students who don’t use library services often or at all to consider applying.
- Interested in recommending another student? Please fill out our Referral Form and we will reach out to them.
- We will inform you if you’ve been selected for the 2023-2024 SLAB by 10/16/2023.
What have previous SLABs accomplished?
Spring Quarter 2023, the SLAB funded and provided Free Food for Finals in the UWT Library! Read more here! We passed out over 1000 items of food during a ten day period!
In their words:
During our last quarter together as the inaugural SLAB cohort, we are working on creating and implementing an action plan for providing free snacks in the library. We believe that this has a high positive impact on addressing food insecurity among students on campus, and will encourage students to continue to stay energized as they work on their studies in the library.
Questions?
- Reach out to Johanna anytime with questions, we’d love to talk with you!