September 14, 2026
Meet Sydney CBD Campus Librarian, Lauren Richardson
Lauren, the Librarian at our Sydney CBD Campus, shares insights about the facilities and services on offer at the university library and how students can make the best use of the library and its' offerings.
Could you introduce yourself and provide an overview of the student service, events/workshops you offer to our students?
My name is Lauren, and I am the Librarian at Sydney CBD Campus. Our Library offers a wide range of services to support students in their academic journey.
Library Orientation: At the beginning of the Trimester, we conduct library orientations to introduce new students to the library's resources, services, and facilities. These sessions cover topics such as library policies, how to search the library catalogue, access online resources, and navigate the library website.
Research Consultations: Libraries provide one-on-one or small group consultations with librarians to assist students with their specific research needs. These consultations offer personalised guidance on finding relevant sources, refining research topics, and developing effective search strategies. Librarians can provide in-depth assistance and help students navigate complex research projects.
Interlibrary Loan Services: Libraries facilitate interlibrary loan services to access materials not available in their collection. Through interlibrary loans, students can request books, articles, or other resources from partner libraries. This service expands the range of materials accessible to students and supports their research needs
What steps do you recommend students take to prepare themselves before seeking your assistance?
It's always a promising idea to have a look at the assignment questions and think about these few things:
- How you want to answer the questions (the topics) you want to cover
- What type of information you are looking for or need (journal articles, statistics, financials, industry insights, government publications)
Then reach out (phone, email, face to face) to make time, include the assignment details, the subject, and a few preferences of times/days.
To minimise the likelihood of encountering issues that necessitate your services, what proactive measures can students take?
Make time and reach out early in the Trimester. We can sit down for consultations and run down through the assessments and map out which databases will work best and what type of evidence you need to support the points you want to make.
When advising students who are facing difficulties, what guidance or suggestions do you provide to help them minimise stress and maintain effective learning experience?
As a Librarian, there are several guidance and suggestions I can provide to help students minimise stress and maintain an effective learning experience. Here are some tips:
Time management: students create a schedule or a to-do list to manage their time effectively. Breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable chunks can reduce feelings of overwhelm and make studying more manageable. There is an that can help.
Study environment: The Library provides a quiet and comfortable study environment where you can focus without distractions.
Utilise library resources: This includes access to books, e-books, online databases, research guides, academic journals, and other materials.
Seek assistance: Please ask for help when needed. The library offers research support services where you can get assistance with your assignments, research, or any questions they may have.
Do you have any other tips or advice for students who want to get the most out of the library facilities?
Spend the week before the trimester learning and getting familiar with the Library website and databases. Complete the which will help you get acquainted with the library and our services. Attend the workshops that are run in the first three weeks of Trimester. You will learn how to navigate the library, learn how to get the most out of the databases and tips and tricks on how to find relevant information quickly.
What is the most common mistake you see students make when researching for their assignments, and how can they avoid it?
From a library perspective, the most common mistake is starting with a Google search rather than first breaking down the assignment question and identifying what evidence they actually need.
Students often find a few websites or articles that seem relevant and then try to build their argument around what they have found. This can lead to research that is too broad, not sufficiently academic, or doesn't directly address the assessment question.
A better approach is to:
- Break the question into key concepts – identify the main topic, issue, population/organisation and outcome or focus.
- Develop keywords and synonyms for each concept before searching.
- Use the Library's academic databases such as Business Source Complete, ProQuest and Scopus, rather than relying solely on Google.
- Evaluate sources critically – consider whether the source is scholarly, current, relevant and credible.
- Follow the evidence – use reference lists and citation links to find additional high-quality research.
- Keep track of sources as they research, making it much easier to reference their work correctly later.
The key message for students is: don't just search for information. Search strategically. Taking a few minutes to plan the search usually results in better sources, stronger evidence and a much more focused assignment.
Lastly, can you share with us how do you typically spend your leisure time outside of work?
(smile) I like playing football (soccer) or watching my team Liverpool FC play.