Most people who know me know that I live in the Charles Library. I work there, I study there, I have meetings there, and I hide from the cold there. In addition to being a great study spot, Charles Library provides a limitless amount of resources that you can use to ace your classes this semester. My personal favorites include the computers, study rooms, and vending machines. But with midterms approaching, I would like to share a few tips that can maximize your studying within Charles Libary as a PR student.
1. Take advantage of the online library tool within your Canvas.
As PR practitioners know, research is the first step to starting an effective campaign. Similarly, a great way to start any class research assignment is by going through your Canvas portal and clicking the library tab. This will take you to a page where you can find the specific area of study you are looking for. I like to use the Communication and Mass Media link to find peer-reviewed articles for my papers and research assignments.
2. Muck Rack is your best friend!
Many of us, especially freshman and sophomore PR students, might be unfamiliar with Muck Rack. Muck Rack is an organization and software that helps PR teams find the right journalists to pitch their stories to. Temple University students can create an account using their Temple emails and begin to use the variety of resources within Muck Rack. Now, you may ask, why would I need to use this? While in PRowl, you may be assigned a media list where you’re tasked to find reporters who would be interested in covering your client’s next big story. By being familiar with Muck Rack, you can get a headstart on media projects and learn a valuable skill widely used in the PR industry.
3. Don’t forget about the thousands of books available to us!
You may ask why I would include something so obvious within my tips, but so many students do not take advantage of the wide variety of books accessible through Charles Library. Through Charles Library, you can explore books that are useful for your classes, but also books that you can read to learn something new outside of your coursework. I am currently checking out Jennette McCurdy’s new book but have also previously checked out books for my class assignments. The process is so easy; simply go to the One Stop Desk on the first floor, tell the staff what book you are interested in borrowing, and they’ll inform you about next steps. Asking about the resources and books within Charles Library has saved me hours of research for books I could not find online for free. Who doesn’t love free books?
I hope these tips will allow you to see Charles Library as more than a place to study, but a place to find resources and look to for assistance in your research as a future PR professional.
Khalia Horton, Account Associate
prowlpr.com 