Library Programming
Therapy Dogs
Reading Rovers was the first and easiest program to institute under the Press Pause campaign. Through collaborative efforts with the undergraduate library, Foley, Chastek Library was able to bring a selection of licensed therapy dogs into the library for cuddle sessions.
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This program has been immensely popular since it began. Over 350 patrons have visited with the dogs since they first arrived in Spring 2018. We currently have 3 dogs that rotate through with visits; Faith, a flat-coated retriever, Joey, a golden retriever, and Cassidy, a rough-coated collie.
Family Movie Nights
Students remarked many times about not having affordable entertainment options for them and their families. In an effort to combat that frustration and create a fun and safe environment for students to bring their families, we created Family Movie Night; a low-cost, family-oriented event.
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Feedback for this program has been largely positive from attendees. We have had 80 attendees to our two family movie nights, Space Jam and Hocus Pocus.
Trivia Events
Trivia Nights were brought in to the library as a casual networking event for students and alumni of Gonzaga School of Law. We wanted to create a casual conversation between current students and practicing attorneys; a fun safe space where they could collaborate and compete.
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This event took months of planning; from trivia questions, location, attendee registration, prizes, and alumni scheduling, and involved sponsorships from the Center for Professional Development and Costco.
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We had 25 current law students participating and 10 local Gonzaga alumni.
Meditation
With the assistance of Student Success, Chastek Library began to host meditation sessions in the campus Chapel on the 3rd floor of the law school.
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One of the harder programs to get off the ground with attendance, we decided to focus most of the meditation sessions on mindful breathing exercises which led to a small uptick.
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We ended up with 5 regular attendees at twice weekly sessions.
Arts and Crafts
Similar to the Therapy Dog visits, the arts and crafts option was one of the easiest to begin for the patrons of Chastek Library. For as little as $1, you can start building an engaging and fun area for patrons to color, work puzzles, and create artwork. Free options for coloring pages are available online, puzzles can be found for cheap at local thrift shops or Goodwill, and craft supplies can be found during the back-to-school season for cheap.
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Attendance for this space is unknown. Our proof of use rests solely on colored pages, a completed puzzle, and well-used crayon nubs.