By Alex Avelino
Libraries across the country are facing their own challenges – from grappling with funding shortages to the limiting of on-shelf materials – but in the midst of some setbacks, students at UF are discovering the timeless richness of these on-campus academic resources.
Inside the George A. Smathers Libraries – the largest academic information resource system in the state of Florida – undergraduates are finding their literacy-centric passions through opportunities like the Discovery Fellowship Program. The semester-long initiative pairs students with invaluable mentors and teaches them how to utilize the library to expertly conduct academic research.
“This fabulous program offers undergraduates a glimpse into the magic and mystery of libraries, as well as an opportunity to hone their research skills,” said Hannah Whitaker, a member of the 2021 Discovery Fellows cohort.
So fabulous was the program, in fact, that it brought Whitaker back to UF after several years of graduate school to build her career in the place that inspired her so profoundly – the Smathers Libraries.
Because of the educational foundation she built through the Discovery Fellowship program, Whitaker now has her dream job. As the women and gender studies librarian at UF, she manages the collection and teaches library instruction sessions. She regularly shares with her colleagues and students the stories about how the fellowship program and the Smathers Libraries were so transformative for her, both personally and professionally.
A space for intellectual curiosity
The Smathers Libraries are at the forefront of providing widespread access to materials through projects like Google Books and reduced-cost textbook initiatives, supporting the research lifecycle through Academic Research & Consulting Services, and promoting undergraduate critical-thinking skills through the Discovery Fellowship program.
At a large public institution like UF, it’s not unusual for undergraduates to feel lost when it comes to pursuing mentorship opportunities in their areas of interest. To address this issue, faculty members and curators from the Smathers Libraries Special and Area Studies Collections began working with Discovery Fellows to help them explore and utilize materials in UF’s library collections. Fellows, who receive $500 stipends in the program, ultimately share their projects with the UF community through presentations and exhibitions.
Whitaker, for example, conducted academic research in the Special and Area Studies Collections that focused on 19th-century women authors of botanical texts for children. She was especially interested in women’s writings about science and how these authors engaged with their young audiences through prose. Her research culminated in a digital exhibit called “Women and Stems.”
“Because the Special and Area Studies Collections house materials pertaining to myriad subjects, students of all academic backgrounds will find something intellectually stimulating,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker’s goal in creating a digital exhibit was to promote exposure to the collections, which are too often shrouded in exclusivity, and make the material more accessible to the general public. The fellowship provided with her the opportunity to gain exposure to the work of librarians within a university setting, and to witness how they assisted students with their research needs and managed the vast collection of materials – ranging from photographs to rare editions of historical children’s literature.
A full-circle experience
For Whitaker, her time as a Discovery Fellow resulted in a recent Gainesville homecoming. After graduating from UF in 2021, she went on to earn a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then returned to UF this fall to manage the Women’s and Gender Studies collection at the Smathers Libraries.
One of Whitaker’s favorite memories from her time as a Discovery Fellow involved spending a morning working alongside an archivist, assisting with a research question pertaining to the letters of iconic Floridian author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. This experience piqued Whitaker’s interest in librarianship – a career that could combine her love of literature and learning with her passion for serving her local community.
Since its inception in 2021, 14 undergraduates, including Whitaker, have participated in the Discovery Fellowship Program at UF. Five special collections curators have taken the time to guide these students through their library research exploration.
“The program helps demystify the archival research process,” said Bridget Bihm-Manuel, the coordinator for Florida history and the Discovery Fellowship Program administrator at the Smathers Libraries. “It shows students how much benefit there is in collaborating with librarians and their fellow students.”
