What do you think of when you picture a library? Chances are, you imagine a building filled with books of all kinds and staffed by smart, helpful people ready to point you in the right direction. Berea College’s Hutchins Library certainly fits that description but also offers a host of services that may not immediately come to mind when you think about libraries. 

The most recent offerings at the Mug Library

Among the wide variety of items made by Berea’s Student Craft program, the ceramic mugs are particularly striking. No two are exactly alike, and all of them blend beauty and function with an undeniable artistic flair. One of the best ways to get a look at the wide-ranging creativity of the students who craft these cups is to browse the Mug Library at Hutchins. 

The Mug Library started with one student’s desire to share her love of ceramics with other Bereans. In 2017 Berea alumna Susan Bonta, at the time a student leader in the ceramics program, realized that students from other majors and departments rarely got to see and appreciate the hand-crafted mugs that she and her fellow ceramicists worked so hard on. “They had a mug display over in ceramics,” said Amanda Peach, Associate Director of Library Services, “but nobody could see it except for the people in the ceramics program.” Susan had the idea to house this collection in Hutchins Library where everyone could appreciate it. She also had the idea to let people “check out” mugs like you would a library book, ensuring that students could fully appreciate both the aesthetic and functional value of these cups. 

In partnership with Philip Wiggs, Berea’s Director of Ceramics, Amanda applied for a grant from the Work College Consortium in 2018 and established the Mug Library at Hutchins in 2019. It was an immediate sensation—out of 133 mugs on display, 78 were checked out in the first four hours of the installation’s inaugural open house. 

“It’s important for students to know art in their everyday lives,” Amanda said. And through the Mug Library, Berea students not only have access to art in their everyday lives, but art made by their fellow students. Amanda is especially happy with the way this collection has helped to democratize art on campus. “Our ceramics are created as a way to help fund the students here, but that means that they’re sometimes priced out of the reach of the students who make them,” she said. But thanks to the Mug Library, “they don't have to buy them, they can check them out.” 

Any student can check out a mug for the semester—and if they decide they love it too much to return it, it’s theirs to keep for a small fee. And there’s no charge for broken mugs as long as they return the pieces. 

The Mug Library at Hutchins gives the College community access to beautiful art in their everyday lives and ensures that the talented students who make these unique ceramics also have the chance to enjoy them. While handcrafted ceramic art meant for everyday use might not be the first thing you associate with a library, it fits perfectly with Hutchins’ mission to spread culture, appreciation, and understanding among all Bereans. 

Providing opportunities for students is at the core of Berea’s mission. Internships, study abroad, the professional clothing fund, and, of course, a tuition-free education are all ways that Berea College lives out that commitment. The Library of Things at Hutchins is yet another way that the College creates opportunities that enhance Berea students’ lives and education. 

The idea of a “library of things” has gained popularity in recent years, with many public libraries implementing the concept. A library of things is a collection of tools, sports equipment, cookware, games, and other items that library patrons can check out and return just as they would a book. Creating a library of things for Berea at Hutchins was first suggested by Maria Taylor, Open Educational Resources Librarian. “There are so many resources available for students, but there were still some gaps,” Maria said. “The Library of Things is one way that we can address some of those gaps by providing items that support well-being, creativity, learning, and community in a sustainable way.” The Library of Things began by asking for suggestions from students about what sort of things they’d like to be able to borrow. “As more students learn about it, we continue to receive requests. Plus, we’ve created a webpage listing the items in the collection as well as items available for students from other departments on campus,” she said. “We hope that it will continue to evolve over time with student input.” 

A preview of The Library of Things

One key benefit of the Library of Things is lowering the barrier to entry for all kinds of fun, useful, and enriching activities. “If you want to bake a cake, you shouldn’t have to go buy a cake pan and mixing spoons and measuring cups and all that stuff,” said Amanda Peach. “If you’re only going to do it once or twice a semester, that’s silly.” The wide array of items that students can check out from the Library of Things enables them to try things they may not have had the chance to without this resource. “Our students want to do things, and they can’t afford them all. We know that about them,” said Amanda. “We help students who are of limited means, right?” The Library of Things is one more way that Berea gives its students access to experiences and opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. 

“We have a GoPro, we have charging cords for phones and laptops, umbrellas, a lot of common things that people need,” Amanda said. From board games to hammocks, necessities to leisure items, the Library of Things exists to make Berea students’ college experience richer and more seamless. It also helps make life at Berea more sustainable—sharing these items communally means less waste. “Students are using information differently than they used to,” said Amanda. “Our call as a modern library is to respond to those changes, right? So, we should host the things that they’re physically using.” Being responsive to what students need and want is an important part of creating a welcoming and supportive campus environment. 

“The stuff that students are doing for leisure is just as important sometimes as their academics,” Amanda said. “We know that this is a very stressful, intense environment, and if they find peace making tiramisu or playing a board game or laying in a hammock, that’s good for their mental health.” The Library of Things is a vital part of the support system Berea provides to help students succeed in the demanding environment of higher education. Resources like this one help ensure that Berea’s students have everything they need to make the most of their time at college. 

For several decades now, providing computer access to the community has been a vital service offered by libraries around the country. However, the programs at Hutchins overseen by Abby Houston, Berea’s Digital Initiatives Librarian, go far beyond any computing services you might find at your local public library. “I’ve been here for about five years,” she said. “I’m the first person in this role, and I was basically hired to bring Digital Humanities to campus.” 

But what are Digital Humanities, and how do they enhance Berea students’ education? “It’s about giving students the skills to be able to create their own information and share that information online,” said Abby. “Lots of data visualization and digital storytelling, like podcasts or videos and short films and things like that which they can then share out.” Teaching students about how to work with information in the digital space with projects like these helps them develop vital skills for their future endeavors. But it’s not just about acquiring technical skills—Digital Humanities also teaches students how to communicate effectively in the modern information landscape. “There are all sorts of other skills that students are learning,” she said. “Not just about the content, but about ‘how do I communicate this message and how do I make it accessible to everybody online?’”

Abby Houston and Dr. Megan Feifer presenting the bell hooks Digital Archive Project

A key part of Abby’s work is helping faculty members bring Digital Humanities into their classrooms. “I work with faculty to develop assignments for digital projects and things like that,” said Abby. “One of the big things that I start working with them on is to ask, ‘what are your learning goals for this?’” The learning goals for a given course or assignment help determine the sort of digital integrations she helps them incorporate in their teaching. “In one class they might make an online exhibit with Omeka, an online platform for Digital Humanities, and in one class they’re making a podcast, and in another they might make a whole classroom map of something,” she explained. 

Today’s students have grown up interacting with computer technology and the digital world from a young age in a way that previous generations never did. Counterintuitively, though, this can sometimes mean that they’re less critically savvy about the ways in which these technologies shape our world. “I like to really push back against this idea of a ‘digital native,’” said Abby. While today’s students may have grown up knowing how to do basic digital things that older generations had to learn as adults, that doesn’t necessarily mean they understand the digital world at a deeper level. 

“If these kids are growing up on iPads, their ability to think critically about that iPad and how they’re using it is a lot weaker,” she said. “They expect technology to just do things because they’ve grown up thinking that. And so a lot of what this is about is bringing critical thinking back into how we're using our technology.” A key role that Digital Humanities play in Berea students’ education is making sure that they have the tools to think critically about the digital world and evaluate it in ways that might not come naturally to those who have been immersed in it their whole lives. 

“We are all overwhelmed. There’s so much to sort through. There's so much to filter through and analyze and evaluate,” said Abby. “And so I see part of my job as helping students figure out how to navigate that, whether that means personally or academically.” As the internet and computer technology continue to exert an ever-greater influence on us, Digital Humanities initiatives at Hutchins Library will help Berea’s students stay centered and remain in control of their interactions with the digital world.