UNK's Calvin T. Ryan Library provides students more than a good book

Many departments across UNK’s campus would include among their list of attributes commitment to student success. Chief among them, one can find UNK’s Calvin T. Ryan Library. For Evan Boyd, Dean of the Library, faculty support of students, and their research, serves as one of the most important qualities of the library.  

“My favorite thing about the library is how our work supports the learning of students across campus,” Boyd said.  

The Minnesota native started working at UNK in August 2022 after serving in Gettysburg and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for five years. One of the things that drew Boyd to Kearney was the commitment of the staff and faculty to this very mission.  

“I am amazed at the number of faculty and staff I have met here who are devoted to student success and improving the quality of a UNK experience,” he commented.  

The library’s role in promoting student success shines through the resources and services currently available to both online and in-person students.  

“We help students achieve their goals inside and outside the classroom by providing training, offering opportunities to consult [on projects], and offering the resources folks need. We make certain that students have the tools they need,” Boyd said.  

Among the tools available through the Calvin T. Ryan Library are physical resources, such as laptops that are available for check-out, study spaces, and, of course, books, journals, and other materials. In addition, the library remains open longer than any other building on campus, ensuring students have as many opportunities as possible to utilize its facilities.  

The wide range of resources available also includes digital services. Students can access all sorts of online databases through the library’s main webpage, including digital materials through the UNK Archives & Special Collections, as well as ways to communicate and to meet one-on-one with library staff whose experience lies within the research field.  

“Students should take advantage of one-on-one appointments with librarians when facing down a big research project,” Boyd said, because “librarians are experts at the research process and can offer guidance when you’re lost or when you just need [another] sounding board.” 

The research services available through the library provide invaluable assistance for students. In fact, these services are intended to be made even better with all the renovations currently underway.  

“It’s hard to pick a favorite part of my work, but if I have to pick, it’s tackling the challenges of planning the library’s future to meet our current and future students’ needs,” Boyd said.  

No matter the research area, where in the nation a student lives, or how long they have been part of the Loper family, the Calvin T. Ryan Library aims to assist all graduate and undergraduate student success in their academic and professional lives.