The Library would like to welcome all new Bilkenters, students, faculty and personnel, and we look forward to seeing you visit Main Campus and East Campus libraries many times during this academic year. In fact, we have already met many of the new undergraduate students on September 6 and 10, as part of the GE100 Introduction to Academic Life program. Around 90% of new students, plus over 100 other students, participated in our library activity for GE100: following a short presentation about the library and its services, they learned how to use the library catalog, and then had to find and borrow a book. Bilkent librarians also offered three sessions entitled “Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning,” attended by over 400 students. This semester, the Library will continue to work closely with new students, especially as part of the ENG 101 course, to develop their research and library skills further.
There has been a lot of building work on campus during the summer, and the Library has been no exception. We are currently completing the renovation of the second-floor salon in Main Campus Library, B-Block, where air-conditioning units have been installed as well as in the Art Room one floor below and the Multimedia Room. In addition, the new Coffee Break lounge on the upper level of B Block has undergone extensive renovation and is now again open and ready to serve. Please come and taste its delights!
As usual, the Library will host three Lunchtime Lectures this fall. The series will begin on October 10, with a talk by Asst. Prof. Simon Wigley (PHIL) entitled “Homicidal Sleepwalkers: Can We Blame Them?” Our second lecture, on the Turkish economy during AKP rule, will be delivered on November 21 by Assoc. Prof. Refet Gürkaynak (ECON). The final talk will take place in December and will be given by Asst. Prof. Nilgün Olguntürk, acting chair of the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design.
Finally, we will shortly be introducing self-checkout at Main Campus Library, which will enable you to borrow your books quickly and easily and avoid lines at the main Circulation Desk. Look for more detailed announcements about this and other library activities nearer the time.