Research Guides: Don't Fear the Library: Library Anxiety: How to Beat Library Anxiety

Let's Defeat Library Anxiety!

Although it can be frightening, there are ways to ease your fears of the library environment. Instead of avoiding the library, challenge yourself to enter the space and see what it offers. Click around the website, explore the different pages, and maybe even use the chat tools. Take a deep breath! The library is here to help you.

	What if I'm overwhelmed by the space? The Student Learning Center (SLRC), which includes the library, is one large circle. Walk around the library to get a feel for the space. Observe the multiple study areas, computer spaces, and where the librarians and library specialists generally sit.
	Where are all the books? Our collection is almost fully digital giving you access to materials 24/7. We have a small Leisure Reading Collection near the Front Desk with popular titles for you to borrow! Otherwise, if you need a book you can use our online catalog and select a book to be sent here. We also have some textbooks available for 2 hour checkouts in the library.
	How do I use the computers? All you need to do is log in by using your LSC email and password. Library staff can guide in resetting your password or accessing programs. If you are a non-LSC guest, you can still use our computers!
	How do I find the digital resources I need? We have created multiple ways to access our material. From a list of databases to research guides on numerous topics -- if you don't see a topic you'd like to see a guide on then feel free to ask a librarian.
	Should I ask the librarian for help? Yes, our main priority is to help students and answer your questions on topics ranging from printing, where restrooms are located, and/or citation guidance!

Here are some other tips to help you overcome library anxiety and to use the library to conduct research and complete your assignments:

	Ask your professor for guidance. If you confide in your professor regarding your concerns about visiting the library, perhaps they can provide some advice on what to do.
	Start early on your project! If you do, it helps lower your anxiety compared to trying to work on it last minute. It is essential to begin as early as possible to avoid panicking. Visit the library or contact us online for help on how to start your research.
	Try to practice breathing exercises. Try to find an exercise to help you calm your body and mind. The American Lung Association provides some Breathing Exercises to get you started.

Articles on Library Anxiety

"Do You Suffer from Library Anxiety?" - JSTOR Daily
That term—library anxiety—is hardly a household name among students but, say it to a college librarian, and they will know exactly what you’re talking about. It’s the feeling that one’s research skills are inadequate and that those shortcomings should be hidden. In some students, it’s manifested as an outright fear of libraries and the librarians who work there. To many librarians it’s a phenomenon as real as it is perplexing.
"Do You Suffer From Library Anxiety?"
Yep, it’s a real thing, and you may suffer from it without even knowing it. So, what exactly is library anxiety? Essentially, library anxiety is a fear of either using the library space, which is often seen as overwhelming and confusing or the fear of not knowing how to find library materials.
"The Strange Affliction of 'Library Anxiety' and What Librarians do to Help"
"Library Anxiety in the Electronic Era, or Why Won't Anybody Talk to Me Anymore?"

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