Kent State University Libraries hosted its annual Library Live conference on Friday. The conference was held in the main library, and offered panel sessions on a variety of topics.

Jasmine Jefferson, first year experience librarian and Library Live organizer said the Library Live sessions are usually really well received.

“Most of time, people really enjoy the sessions,” Jefferson said. “One of the suggestions we get a lot is if we can make it longer.”

According to the Library Live web page, the conference is catered toward students and faculty alike.

“It’s really just to get our new technology out there for our students and faculty to learn about and to let them know that the library is a resource that can help everyone,” Jefferson said. “This year we’re really focusing on upper division students and graduate students.”

The sessions are 30 minutes to an hour long. Sessions offered include “The 11th Hour: Easing Your Way Through the ETD Process,” “Beyond YouTube: Licensed Resources for Video Content,” “Plagiarism 101: What You Need to Know,” and many more.

“We’ve put more of an instructional workshop type of feel to it,” Jefferson said. “We want (the attendees) to feel like part of the experience.”

Benjamin Stenson, senior advisor II for Kent State attended numerous sessions throughout the day. Stenson found the session on the electronic thesis and dissertation process particularly helpful.

“Just getting a better understanding of what the student is going through and where it’s all going is very informative,” Stenson said. “I relay this information to my students as well, so to be able to hear the expert gives me a better grasp on the process.”

Jefferson emphasized that feedback from attendees allows them to improve sessions every year.

“Next year we are actually going to take the year off and revamp to make it bigger and try to get a broader audience,” Jefferson said.

Contact Gael Reyes at [email protected].