Throughout the year, The St. Ambrose library hosts a plethora of different activities and crafts to create a welcoming and comforting atmosphere for the campus. The end of the fall semester was a busy time for the library staff as they hosted a wide variety of different festive events for the SAU community that involved the holidays and finals week. 

The holiday activities this year included a popular tradition: the DIY (Do It Yourself) Depot of 12 days of crafting from December 1st through December 12th. Additionally, there was a hot cocoa and coffee bar (with snacks), coloring pages on the walls in the elevator as a stress reliever, book displays throughout the first floor of the library of nostalgic holiday children’s books, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa displays, a card making station, a guessing game, and therapy dogs. The library also supplied a gift wrapping station they call “It’s a Wonderful Wrap” complete with wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, and gift tags. 

One of the most popular holiday events was the 12 Days of Crafting. “Many students make a point to collect all 12 kits which we hope will bring them fond memories of their time at St. Ambrose and the library,” said Joyce Haack, Acquisitions and Interlibrary Loan of the SAU Library.

The St. Ambrose library staff enjoys creating these fun and relaxing activities for the campus during the holiday season and finals week. “Since all students, no matter their course of study, use the library, we feel it is important to have a variety of activities and offerings. Our goals are to create a festive atmosphere that helps lift spirits, especially as the days grow shorter as well as a quiet place for students as they finish up their fall semester,” Haack describes. “Seeing the enjoyment the students, faculty and staff receive from the events is rewarding.”

The library was decorated by the staff who filled it with holiday cheer. Some of the decorations that the campus saw around the building included small and large Christmas trees, lighted greenery swags, lit up snowmen, woodland animals, Santa Claus and festive lights strung across the atrium.

The library staff expressed their holiday wishes to the campus through the many events they hosted. “It is an opportunity for the library staff to say a collective ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy Holidays’ to the SAU community, and in a way to say thank you for using the library collection and its services,” Haack said.