How about we start with some introductions? Can you tell us your name, your background, and how you came to work on this project? 

Adrienne Emery: My name is Adrienne Emery, and I am the Education Curriculum Coordinator. I joined here December 4th. I used to work at the College of Saint Rose in the curriculum library there as the coordinator, and when the college unfortunately closed we were thrilled that UAlbany was able to come and acquire the materials from our library and move them over here. I joined in December to help organize the material, get it cataloged and up and running, and start working with the UAlbany community--and hopefully eventually greater community--to get the materials into the hands of everyone because they're really wonderful materials and they can have a lot of use here on the campus and beyond!

Tugba Gundogmus: Hi, I'm Tugba Gundogmus. My bachelor’s degree is in English as a new language. I worked for 10 years teaching English, and then because of my husband’s graduate program, we moved here. After four years living in Albany, I started the master’s in Information Science. Now I'm doing my internship in the cataloging department. 

We are very fortunate to have this curriculum. There is an astonishing number of items, more than 15,000, in the collection. What are some of the highlights?

AE: First of all, our picture book collection is just beautiful! We add to it every year. Albany also buys the best of the best every year, so we just have a really current, beautiful, and wide-ranging collection of picture books that are designed to be inclusive. There's an eye on diversity of all types every time we add to the collection, so I'm really proud of the picture book collection.

We also have so many interesting hands-on materials, everything from science kits to social studies primary documents that would be really hard for students to get their hands on otherwise. And there are just some really fun and interesting educational toys and games! One of my favorite things to do is to help a student think outside the box on how to use an item and how they can incorporate them into a lesson. I especially love when students pull from different areas of the library. Say they're doing a science lesson, they can pull a fictional story to kick it off and then tie it in with a nonfiction piece, and then tie it in with a hands-on science experiment. That's what I love to see when pulling from all the areas of the library.

Who are the primary audiences for this collection?

AE: First and foremost, the School of Education. We're working hard to develop our relationship with them; I've been to their staff meetings to introduce myself, and I've already started going into classrooms to draw the students in. Beyond that, the collection appeals to a lot of programs like perhaps Social Welfare and Psychology. I think they could benefit from some of the hands-on materials. And then we're also looking at collaborations on campus with other student organizations and the Learning Commons. 

We're trying to use the materials in a fun way to engage students, or to help them relax with things like puzzles. I just think picture books have broad appeal to adults, especially for things like dealing with social-emotional issues and relaxation or stress management. We're looking for ways to use the collection on campus. Then, ultimately, we want to partner with  nonprofits or educational organizations off campus so we can  bring materials to students who might not otherwise have access to them. We have a lot of fun ideas exciting ideas, but there's still so much work to get done. We've been very fortunate to have Tugba this semester doing a fantastic job getting things into the system so we can then get them out into circulation.

Tugba, can you tell me a little bit about your internship project and what you are working on?

TG: I’m actually taking children’s materials and then cataloging them. It’s so enjoyable for me as there are so many things, not just books, but items like STEM kits, counseling kits, health kits, social studies kits. There are so many kits in the collection both parents and teachers can use!

So you’re getting a hands-on look at this collection?

TG: Oh yes, definitely a hands-on experience to check these items.

AE: (Laughing) Unfortunately multiple times!  She’s had to go through them once and then go them all again. More than anybody she knows what it looks like up close.

TG: But it's so enjoyable. I'm also coming from a background as a teacher, so every time when I open a kit, I get really excited because some way I'm helping educators and parents to see and reach the materials easily. It makes me happy, and I love that. 

How has this internship prepared you for a career in the information world?

TG: There are so many things I can say! It has given me a unique window into the diversity of the collection. I have learned how important inclusive metadata is in ensuring all children can see themselves reflected in what they read, explore, and use. I also think being able to advocate for inclusive practices within the cataloging process has been one of the most meaningful takeaways from my experience. Overall, this internship has shown me how behind-the-scenes library work plays a crucial role in supporting educational access and equity. I now have a deeper appreciation for libraries, not only as information hubs, but as dynamic community spaces that foster lifelong learning, inclusivity, and curiosity 

Is any of the material circulating now? 

AE: We're already up and going! We have had staff members come and check materials out, which I should mention, I would love for UAlbany faculty and staff to take these things home to share with their families. I think that's a wonderful opportunity there. We also have students coming and checking out materials, and we already have some planned partnerships on campus. So I'd say we're operating unofficially at this point. Anyone who wants to find materials is advised to reach out to me via e-mail because we don't have everything up and running and it can be very confusing to figure out what's available and what's not. So if they reach out to me that can help get the materials into their hands and also I can help prioritize what we need to catalog. If someone says "Ohh, I'm really looking for these types of things "but I don't have them cataloged yet, I can help put a rush on that. We're trying to be really responsive. I think customer service is what we're best at, so reach out to me and we'll make sure we help them get what they need.
 

I have kind of a big picture philosophical question: Why do you think it is important to have this collection?

AE: Children learn from hands-on materials. Obviously we know that technology is going to be huge in the field of education, as it is everywhere. We know AI is going to be huge. We know the future is here, but that doesn't change the fact that children love books. They get something different out of books that they don't get off of the screen. And children learn best from hands-on experiments, or hands-on manipulatives when they're learning things like math and science. So as much as we need to move forward in a lot of ways, it's still really important to have these materials for children to learn best.

TG: Also this collection is so detailed and there are so many hands-on things for kids,  for education departments, they can make great use of it. 

I think it's incredible that your background as an educator and working on this collection really complements each other. have you felt that your experience in the classroom has helped with this project?

TD: Yeah this is what I believe. Also sometimes I feel so sad, I wish I had the chance to use all those materials when I was a teacher! In my time teaching, I had to make all of the materials, but here there are ready-made kits you can use. So it really makes me so sad sometimes, but so happy that others can incorporate them. 

Based on what you said, this is not a static collection, right? We're still adding to it?

AE: Yes! It's so exciting, every year we plan to purchase the notable children's books, the award winners, it's just really important. We want to have the most current and best books available as well as the classics. But when you have a collection like this, where things are made up of little pieces,  it's really important to be able to replace materials when needed, but also just keeping abreast of what's going on out there in classrooms, consulting with faculty, and seeing what their students need. So yeah it's gotta be dynamic or else it will be left behind. It's definitely my goal to keep it evolving 

Is there anything else about the collection you'd like to highlight to our readers?
 
AE: I would just encourage them if they're interested in talking to me about the collection. If they have ideas about how we might collaborate in any way, I'm definitely open to those kinds of discussions.