Alexis Rapoza
News Editor
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Friends of the Adams Library is hosting a First Year Research Prize which will recognize “first year Rhode Island College students who produce excellent research projects and/or research-informed creative works.” The prize winner will be awarded $150 and be featured on the Adams Library social media and website.
First year Rhode Island College students are encouraged to submit any original work involving independent research and use of informational sources. The Friends of the Adams Library says informational sources can take many forms including; Scholarly articles or publications, news, multimedia, data, primary sources, etc. Previous research projects have included a variety of different projects such as, presentations, research papers, posters and lab reports. The committee will use a prize rubric to evaluate submissions.
“We are interested in looking at how first year students use information sources in their projects, and how they describe their research project in their submission application,” Amy Barlow, Associate Professor, Reference Librarian and co-chair of the Library Outreach Committee told The Anchor. “Our goal is to celebrate the ways in which first year students contribute to traditions of undergraduate research and scholarship at RIC, while at the same time connecting first year students and those important traditions to the Adams Library and its mission to support teaching and learning at the college.”
‘In the Adams Library, we know, based on our own professional experiences and research in our field of study, that first year students who use academic library services and resources earn higher grades and are more likely to return for subsequent semesters than peers who do not use the library.” Barlow said that this knowledge is one of the reasons why faculty and staff are always working to draw attention to the library. “Over the years, the Adam library has developed different kinds of programs for first year students to introduce them to our academic library community and to promote a welcoming vibe in our library building.”
The Friends of the Adams Library was founded in 1998 by Rhode Island College faculty, staff and administrators. Their mission is to advocate for the Adams Library both on-campus and in the surrounding community.
In Fall of 2020, the Library Outreach Committee and the Friends of the Adams Library began a partnership. “This year, however, due to the pandemic and college budget, the library was not in a position to host its regular first year programs,” Barlow said. “Fortunately, the Friends of the Adams Library, with leadership from its President, Professor Dragan Gill, approached the Library Outreach Committee with an offer to fund its programs.” Barlow says that the Outreach Committee is using a portion of those funds to establish the First Year Research Prize.
The deadline for students to submit their research projects is March 1. The prize winner will be contacted in late March.
For more information on the Friends of the Adams Library First Year Research Prize click here.
To learn more about the Friends of the Adams Library and the Library Outreach Committee click here.