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High school students participate in ‘ͷ, The Library Experience’

High school students participate in ‘ͷ, The Library Experience’

Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Students from 10 Mississippi high schools explored the collections and resources at Mississippi State's Mitchell Memorial Library as part of a two-day learning experience on the Starkville campus.

On Tuesday and Wednesday [Oct. 26 and 27], “ͷ, The Library Experience” gave students the chance to learn more about the library profession, as well as diverse museums, collections and centers housed within the ͷ Libraries system.

“Last year’s ’ͷ, The Library Experience’event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2018 and 2019, five and then 10 high schools attended, respectively. This event has become such a successful outreach endeavor that ͷ Libraries wanted to revive it and host it again,” said LaDonne Delgado, chair of the event’s organizing committee.

Participants represented Brandon, East Webster, Eupora, Houston, Kosciusko, Noxapater, Oxford, Shannon and Water Valley high schools, andOak Hill Academy.

Tommy Anderson, ͷ Libraries interim dean and professor of English, welcomed the students to the Starkville campus, and Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School, spoke to the students about their plans after graduation, emphasizing how ͷ can help them succeed.

Throughout the two-day event, students visited the library’s Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, Charles H. Templeton Sr. Music Museum, and John Grisham Room.

During breakout sessions in the MaxxSouth Digital Media Center, students received an introduction to the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Mixed Reality Studio, a makerspace and multimedia lab with 3D and screen printing capabilities, and audio, recording and television broadcast studios.

Participating schools included:

Brandon High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Brandon High School students Darcy Sullivan, Ashley Davis and Addison Johnson; and Brandon High School librarian Susan Lott.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Brandon High School students Darcy Sullivan, Ashley Davis and Addison Johnson; and Brandon High School librarian Susan Lott. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

East Webster High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; East Webster High School students Josh Yates and Alexis Adams; and East Webster High School librarian Christy Sisson.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; East Webster High School students Josh Yates and Alexis Adams; and East Webster High School librarian Christy Sisson. (Photo by Megan Bean)

Eupora High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Eupora High School students Presley Cummings, Zada Hood and Patsy Herard; and Eupora High School librarian Cala Tabb.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Eupora High School students Presley Cummings, Zada Hood and Patsy Herard; and Eupora High School librarian Cala Tabb. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

Houston High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Houston High School students Telysa Guido, Alexis Ellison and Hayden Crump; and Houston High School librarian Miriam Garner.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Houston High School students Telysa Guido, Alexis Ellison and Hayden Crump; and Houston High School librarian Miriam Garner. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

Kosciusko High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Kosciusko High School students Hannah Olive, Mary Patton Henderson and Meredith Dean; and Kosciusko High School librarian Katrina Overstreet.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Kosciusko High School students Hannah Olive, Mary Patton Henderson and Meredith Dean; and Kosciusko High School librarian Katrina Overstreet. (Photo by Megan Bean)

Noxapater High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Noxapater High School students Kaitlyn Sanborn, Joshua Robinson, Aaron Lampley and Evan Henry; and Noxapater High School teacher Pam Mills.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Noxapater High School students Kaitlyn Sanborn, Joshua Robinson, Aaron Lampley and Evan Henry; and Noxapater High School teacher Pam Mills. (Photo by Megan Bean)

Oak Hill Academy

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Oak Hill Academy students Kyla Stroud, Anna Henson and Jeremiah Carter; and Oak Hill Academy librarian Sherry Freeman.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Oak Hill Academy students Kyla Stroud, Anna Henson and Jeremiah Carter; and Oak Hill Academy librarian Sherry Freeman. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

Oxford High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Oxford High School students Kalvia Caldwell and Kirsten Booker; and Oxford High School librarian Amanda Osborne.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Oxford High School students Kalvia Caldwell and Kirsten Booker; and Oxford High School librarian Amanda Osborne. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

Shannon High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Shannon High School students Katelyn Grubbs and Alanna Arledge; and Shannon High School librarian Jennifer King.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Shannon High School students Katelyn Grubbs and Alanna Arledge; and Shannon High School librarian Jennifer King. (Photo by Megan Bean)

Water Valley High School

Pictured standing in front of ͷ's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Water Valley High School students Madison Urban, Anika Olson and Sydney Epes; and Water Valley High School librarian Jennifer Rotkiewicz.
Pictured from left to right are Peter Ryan, ͷ associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School; Water Valley High School students Madison Urban, Anika Olson and Sydney Epes; and Water Valley High School librarian Jennifer Rotkiewicz. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

For more information on “ͷ, The Library Experience,” visit .

Learn more about ͷ Libraries at .

ͷ is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at .