Where Rustlers Read
Where Rustlers Read
Riverton Ranger | Austin Beck-Doss
Over recent semesters at the Central Wyoming College (CWC) Library, a group of players from the college’s men’s soccer team have formed a new tradition. A few nights per week, the squad of 18-22 year-olds from all over the world meet up for a tournament-style session of the board game Guess Who. For library director Becca Chavez, it’s a perfect representation of the library’s purpose.
“We always think of ourselves as a hub,” Chavez said. “We’re connected with every department, and every person on campus. Whether people need a quiet corner, a place to reflect, or a group setting to learn together, that’s what we provide.”
That philosophy is visible inside the library, where Chavez has made it her mission to understand students’ needs and cater to them with ever-evolving programs, collections, and resources. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, a foursome of nursing students quizzed each other in a private study room named for Mary Shelley, while another student received a crash course in scanning documents from Chavez herself.
“When our students encounter a challenge or question, the library is the perfect first step on that journey,” Chavez said. “No question is too small or silly.”
Located at the heart of the college’s main Riverton campus, the CWC Library is the two-story epicenter of Rustler life and culture. It’s a warm and tidy space imbued with the focused quiet that makes libraries feel safe and familiar.
When Brad Tyndall, president of Central Wyoming College, thinks about the most important public spaces in the world, his mind goes straight to libraries.
“In a time when it’s harder than ever to tell what’s true, libraries like ours matter because they give students a reliable environment to think critically and engage with the real world,” he said. “Good information literacy is a critical skill for all of us, but it’s especially important at a college.”
Tyndall and Chavez agreed that the fickle nature of accessing reliable information in the internet age, combined with a wave of social anxiety tied to Covid and the pandemic, make libraries more essential than ever.
“Some people say: ‘We don’t need libraries anymore,’” Tyndall added. “On the contrary, this is absolutely not the time that we should relinquish libraries. It is the time to focus on coming together over the goal of staying educated and informed.”
Chavez, who has been the director of the CWC Library for three years, has recently noticed a marked shift in people’s willingness to convene in study rooms and around shared tables.
“Many of our students were in school when the pandemic happened,” she noted. “In all kinds of libraries, that post-Covid anxiety level has been an issue. But we’re starting to turn a corner, and we’re doing everything we can to make that possible.”
The library has developed a wide range of in-person events and activities designed to engage students and encourage collaboration. These events range from casual, social gatherings to structured academic workshops. For example, the library hosts “Toast to Mondays,” a weekly open-to-anyone light meal at the start of the week. Chavez has found that the simple spread of toast, bagels, and coffee has become a favorite for students of all ages and study paths.
Throughout the week, students can participate in library game nights, which utilize an impressively extensive collection of board games. These events are meant to provide a low-pressure setting for students to decompress from rigorous weeks in the classroom. Additionally, the library offers DIY craft sessions and a communal coloring station, where passersby can enjoy a few minutes of creative inspiration in between studying, while contributing to a collective art project.
For academic support, the library organizes workshops and “deep dives” on skills ranging from research and writing to the use of technology and AI tools. The CWC Writing Center, staffed by librarians and faculty members, helps students from all of the college’s degree tracks including nursing, agri-business, and criminal justice.
“Writing skills are something that all sorts of people can benefit from, and we’re seeing a lot of that,” said Chavez. “If they’re interested, while we sit down to help them with their writing, we also help them explore their reading habits, as we know that’s one of the best ways to improve as a writer.”
Chavez came to CWC with Master’s degrees in library science and art history. Growing up, her mother was a librarian, and the pair would often joke that Chavez might follow the same path.
Prior to moving to Wyoming, Chavez worked in the library at Chico State University. She was drawn to CWC for its diverse and unique student body.
“We have such a range of students,” she said. “Some are right out of high school, some are returning after years in the workforce, and we also have out-of-state and international students. Many of them are transitioning between careers, and their needs run the gamut.”
That variety shows up in how students access the library. Some come in person, others are enrolled in classes entirely online, and many split their time between CWC’s outreach locations in Jackson, Lander, and Dubois. To serve them all, Chavez and her team offer multiple points of entry: in-person help, Zoom tutoring, and a growing bank of digital resources. “We’ve really worked on building up our website,” she said. “If a student can’t be here physically, they still have a place to go.”
Behind the library’s packed schedule and welcoming atmosphere is a rigorous system of data collection. Chavez and her team are constantly studying how students use the space and adjusting accordingly. The library tracks door counts, study room use, and circulation numbers. Staff run informal heat maps to see which specific study stations are popular and which go ignored. They also use student surveys, often disguised as something fun. A recent poll asked, “What’s your library vibe?” The top choice was “hot drinks and cozy corners,” narrowly beating out “I’m here for the food.”
Chavez and her staff are constantly making small adjustments with student comfort in mind. Over the summer, whiteboards in study rooms were upgraded to larger models after staff noticed students struggling for space. Novels were moved from the second floor to the first, which has already led to a rise in browsing and fiction checkouts.
These efforts, Chavez said, pay off in real, measurable ways. “One thing we’re really proud of is how much money we save students,” she added. “If they need a book for class, we always tell them, come see us first. Last year we saved students about $130,000. This year, we’re already at almost $30,000 just from checked-out books, and that doesn’t even count the value of our databases, e-books, and audiobooks.”
The library is not just for students. Anyone with a Fremont County library card can check out materials at the college, and in reverse, CWC students can use their college ID to borrow from any public library in the state. “It’s a statewide system,” Chavez explained. “For our student-athletes who are traveling to a game in, say, Greybull, they can check a book out there and return it in Riverton.”
The library’s hours also reflect student needs. Based on last year’s usage data, the schedule now runs Mondays and Tuesdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays 8 to 5, and Sundays 12 to 4. “Last spring we were open late four nights a week,” Chavez said. “But we realized students were only really here that late on Mondays and Tuesdays. So we adjusted.”
Ultimately, Chavez has developed the CWC Library into a dynamic space that responds to the needs of its visitors in real time. “We’re changing,” she said. “But we’ll always be a safe space where help is available. That’s what we want to be.”