For most of us, when we hear the word “library,” we think “borrowing books.” And that makes sense, because it’s been true for well…centuries. According to Oxford Open Learning’s website, libraries started developing in the U.K. some 1500 years ago (you read that right) and the first one is thought to be dated some 5,000 years ago in Southwest Asia. It further notes that the world’s oldest known library is “believed to be The Library of Ashurbanipal, which was founded sometime in the 7th century B.C. for the ‘royal contemplation’ of the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal” with a collection of over 30,000 clay tablets—imagine!

It’s safe to say that libraries have come a very long way since then—from tablets to…tablets. Or laptops, to be precise. Today, you can visit your Atlantic Cape library and check out not only books on countless topics, but laptops. Taking a math class? Check out a graphing calculator, and nursing students and faculty can borrow anatomy models. If you have a study group, pop into one of our study rooms—your table, chairs, and whiteboard await you. 

In addition to making learning more conducive, your Atlantic Cape library is the place to go if you want to dial it back a bit. Stop by and work on a jigsaw puzzle in peace and quiet. Meet a friend for a game of chess, or park yourself on one of our big comfy couches at the Cape May campus library, and flip through a magazine. Check out the billboard for upcoming events and services (sign up to The New York Times with your student ID!). Get some work done at one of our computer banks, or print off an article or paper for class. And take advantage of our tutoring program—see the tutoring page for more information.

Whether your goal is to expand your knowledge or take a tiny break from it, think about giving your campus library a second look!

by Kate Chadwick