Every summer, the UCR Library plays an active role in welcoming new students during Highlander Orientation.

For many incoming students, summer orientation is their first introduction to the resources and support an academic library offers. Student Success and Engagement Librarian Carrie Cruce leads the library’s involvement in this important campus-wide effort, coordinating activities and ensuring a welcoming experience for students and families.

“Over the last two years I initiated communication with the Student Life department. My goal was to expand collaboration in general and get the library more integrated into Highlander Orientation in the summer,” Carrie said. That goal has taken shape through a variety of initiatives, from developing new marketing strategies to ensuring the library’s presence at orientation events is engaging and memorable.

At the heart of the library’s participation is its presence at the orientation tabling fair, where departments and organizations across campus connect with new students. With the support of the UCR Library’s Outreach and Engagement Working Group and other library colleagues, Carrie organizes the schedule, recruits volunteers, and manages the logistics behind the scenes. Librarians from across departments step in to staff the table, greet students, and share information about how the library supports their success.

This summer, the library piloted a new approach to spark interaction: the “Ask a Question and get Swag” model. “We ask every individual that approaches the table to ask us a question about the library to receive an item of swag. This has been a successful engagement approach. It seems to help with students especially who are often shy when asked questions,” Carrie explained. This strategy not only encouraged more meaningful conversations but also gave students an easy way to learn something new about the library.

The library also expanded its involvement this year by offering tours of the Tomás Rivera Library for students and families, building on last year’s efforts to host family tours of Orbach Library. “This was the result of my continued advocacy for greater inclusion of the library,” Carrie explained. These tours provide an inside look at library spaces and resources, giving students and their families a sense of belonging before the academic year begins.

For Cruce, orientation represents more than just a summer event, it is a strategic opportunity to connect with students at a formative moment. “This is one of the first points of contact between us and students,” Carrie said. “We have the opportunity to make a good impression, provide them with vital information, and it is important that the library is involved.”