The first week of a term always comes with a shock. On the trek up north from my hometown in southern California the temperature dropped 40˚, and I was reminded of the work that I had in front of me. Luckily, last term, I discovered a handful of library services that helped me tremendously in getting through the rough ten weeks of the term.

The front desk of the Knight is run by people who are eager to help, and provides students with services that go far beyond what one would expect from a library. Since I am focusing on video, the service that I found particularly helpful was the free one-hour headphone checkout that they offer. Just flash your ID card and you’ll be given large, padded headphones to use as you please for the next sixty minutes.

With my headphones in hand I make my way upstairs, and go back towards the Cinema Studies lab; an overlooked study spot with state of the art technology. Each computer comes equipped with a massive screen, the latest adobe suite, and a slew of other programs and accessories to help you get through a project. Don’t be alarmed by the title, the Cinema Studies Lab is available to all students. Just sign in with your name, date, and major, and you’re on your way.

When I’m working on a large paper that requires a lot of sources, I make sure that I utilize the Summit services that the University offers. Summit is a program that shares books and other resources with neighboring universities in the Pacific Northwest. Place your request online at the UO library website, and within 5 business days your book has arrived. This process is a lot faster than requesting that the university buy your material, and usually the amount of time given to check it out is longer.

Knowing about these services now, instead of late into the term, will help me relax while professors go over lengthy syllabi, and hopefully allow me to have a successful winter term.