We offer workshops for using the library’s resources, honing creativity and skills in art and design, and specialized topics. View the panes below to compare the available options and find one or more that works best for you.
Workshops: Research Skills
Learning Outcomes
- Learners will be able to implement subject-specific vocabulary in order to search for and identify relevant items from the library’s catalog.
- Learners will be able to develop topic-relevant vocabulary in order to search databases with maximum flexibility and effectiveness.
- Learners will be able to search a database using boolean logic and flexible vocabulary in order to retrieve articles that are on-target and topic-relevant.
Workshop Parameters
- The length of workshops focusing on research skills can range from 45 to 60 minutes.
- We require at least 2 weeks of advance notice for research workshop requests.
Workshops: Art and Design
Our art and design workshops include guided and hands-on tutorials in a specific technique or discipline. Materials for in-person workshops are supplied, while materials for virtual workshops may vary. While we regularly partner with faculty, student groups, and the community to host workshops, we also offer workshops that are open to the public every semester.
We currently offer workshops on zines, comics, paper engineering, bookbinding, character design, and more. Fill out our request form or contact us to request a workshop.
Learning Outcomes
- Learners will implement on-topic techniques in order to design a product of their own making.
- Learners will be able to use the demonstrated techniques as a means for creative expression.
Workshop Parameters
- The length of workshops focusing on research skills can range from 60 to 90 minutes.
- We require at least 4 weeks of advance notice for research workshop requests.
Workshops: Special Topics
We design “bespoke” workshops for specialized topics and activities that may fall outside the bounds of the above categories. A special topics workshop may center on a course assignment or project, a student group’s mission, or honing a specialized skill.
Past examples include image creation, copyright, and understanding your rights with Generative AI; finding grants for artists; Wikipedia edit-a-thon; bioplastics & banana leather; prop design for art and design students; and more.
Learning Outcomes
- Learning outcomes for workshops with special topics are tailored to the goals of the partnership.
]Workshop Parameters
- The recommended length of workshops with special topics can range from 60 to 90 minutes.
- We require at least 4 weeks of advance notice for research workshop requests.
Two participants in the Bioplastics & Banana Leather workshop display their creations.
I’ve been to two Material Means workshops through Ricker Library so far, and have found them to very effectively introduce new skills and even broaden my creative horizons both times! I’ve loved seeing and being a part of these workshops so far, and sincerely hope to see more and more of these in the future. I think it’s a really wonderful addition to our campus environment and a fantastic way to introduce new skills to the student body in a fun, low-pressure environment. I’ve already told all my friends to great excitement as well.
Working with Ricker is very accessible! It was very easy to communicate and come up with something together to create the workshop we envisioned. The library gave us a chance to connect and bond with each other, and I would definitely recommend Ricker’s workshops to any other student groups.
Two participants in the library’s vision board workshop display their boards.
Head Librarian Emilee Mathews and Graduate Assistant Mallika Ramachandran demonstrate paper engineering techniques.
The workshop was super fun and engaging! The staff running the workshop made it a very welcoming space even if you came alone, easy to meet new people, and a very accessible process for all of us to learn. Thank you for such a fun time! I’ll definitely be making more books from here on out.
