The Skyline College Library hosted daily programs to help over 300 Skyline College faculty, staff, and students de-stress during the last week of the semester. Students enjoyed cupcake decorating, button making, a visit from therapy dogs, and a mindfulness session. The library also offered week-long drop-in activities such as popular board games, bookmark coloring, and jigsaw puzzles.
Monday, December 5: Cupcake Decorating
Sweets-loving students decorated vanilla and chocolate cupcakes – jelly beans and rainbow sprinkles were popular toppings. “It really puts a smile on people’s faces” and “definitely stress-relieving” said students. Other students requested that the library host more food programs in the future.
Tuesday, December 6: Button Making
“I want to do this all day!” was a common refrain by students, staff, and faculty. Students made their own personal pins or magnets. A 1-inch press was used to design custom buttons of popular cartoon characters reading. Disney characters and Pokémon, and “I love reading” and “I love library” designs were popular.
Wednesday, December 7: Therapy Dogs
This semester the library once again hosted Therapy Dogs in partnership with the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. Over 100 students, faculty, and staff came out to meet two of their furry friends: Canine Good Citizen certified therapy dogs Hunter and Marianna. Students enjoyed petting both golden retrievers and interacting with the volunteer owners – some suggested that we have therapy dogs every day!
Thursday, December 8: Mindfulness
Psychology Professor Jennifer Merrill hosted a mindfulness and meditation session in the library classroom. Students took a break from their stressful workloads, learned about the benefits of mindfulness, and took a quiz to measure “how present are you?”. Students learned tips for paying attention while engaging in daily activities, leading to a calmer and engaged outlook.
Finals Week:
Over Finals Week (December 12-16), the library will offer healthy snacks and coffee to stressed and hungry students. We would like to thank Kevin Chak, Skyline College Bookstore Manager for donating coffee and hot water.
Library Update:
The Skyline College Library will be closed Saturday, December 17, 2016, through Monday, January 16, 2016. We will reopen to the public for the spring semester, Tuesday, January 17, 2016, with the updated hours of:
- Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For non-immediate assistance regarding your library account, please call the Library at (650) 738-4311, or visit a Peninsula Library System (PLS) public library during the closure.
Article by Kristen Lee, Photos by Dr. Pearl Ly and Kristen Lee
