The smell of fresh popcorn wafted through the library Tuesday afternoon as staff welcomed visitors to Kent State University Libraries’ annual Student Appreciation Day.

“We want to thank our students for being here, for using our resources and helping us to help them,” said Jasmine Jefferson, a First Year Experience librarian. “We really just want to help students any way we possibly can, and this is just another way to do that.”

Attractions at the main library included a spread of free healthy snacks and beverages, a demonstration of the library’s 3D-printing pen technology and a raffle for a campus bookstore gift card.

Campus therapy dogs, a longtime fixture of Student Appreciation Day, were unable to make an appearance this year.

While the majority of the festivities were held at the main library, each branch library on campus participated with interactive stations and other installations.

In addition, the library’s special collections exhibits opened early for the day. Curious students could explore the library’s unusual collections, such as a room devoted to Babar, a fictional talking elephant from Jean de Brunhoff’s 20th century children’s stories.

“We have so much cool stuff up here that a lot of people don’t know about,” said Elizabeth Rabenstein, the operations coordinator for Special Collections and Archives. “(Student Appreciation Day) is a good opportunity for them to come up here and check things out.”

Rabenstein hopes that outreach events like Student Appreciation Day can make the student population more aware of unique programs held by the University Libraries throughout the year.

“I think a lot of students don’t come up here unless they have something specific to work on,” Rabenstein said. “So any way we can draw more attention up here and make more students aware is a great opportunity.”

Student Appreciation Day is one of many programs throughout the year held by University Libraries to reach out to the student body.

Jefferson said the main goal of the event is to establish a stronger connection between students and the libraries across campus.

“We always try to reach out to students academically, which is important,” Jefferson said. “But we’re also a social space. We want students to know that yes, they can come to us with their academic needs, but they can also come here for help with their other needs as well.”

Conor Battles is the CCI and libraries reporter. Contact him at [email protected].