by Jessica Gentile, Social Media Intern

I’ve had an amazing summer working as Columbia Libraries’ Social Media intern. In between blog posts and Twitter updates, I’ve gotten to explore some breathtakingly beautiful libraries and met some amazing librarians and staff. From the architectural wonders of Avery to the physically small, but informationally massive, Journalism Library, I quickly learned that every subject gets its due here, as the campus is home to over twenty libraries.

I’ve also gotten familiar with so many of the Columbia’s remarkable archival collections. Check out one of my favorite digital exhibits, 1968: Columbia in Crisis. It does an amazing job documenting and contextualizing student protests and social activism of the 1960s with incredible primary sources and photographs. Additionally, there’s usually a really neat exhibition on display at the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, which is always worth visiting. I especially loved the Tennessee Williams exhibit shown earlier this summer.

But the libraries aren’t just a physical space. They’re everywhere. That’s one of the most exciting realizations I came to while working here. From the search pages of CLIO, to your Facebook news feed, to this very blog, the presence of the library extends well-beyond its reading rooms. And that’s important. As information is more readily available than ever, so is misinformation. As celebrated graphic novelist, Neil Gaiman, once said, "Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one." So go ahead – email, call or even text a librarian. That’s what they’re here for. And the next time you swing by, check in on Foursquare while you’re at it!