Library Māori Engagement Advisor Donna Waitere reads one of the notes left on a tree in the Central Library.
Otago staff and tauira have been sharing their words of wisdom for new tauira in libraries around the Dunedin campus.
Trees adorned with lights are on display in four libraries – Central, Health Sciences, Science and Robertson – encouraging returning tauira to leave notes with advice they would give themselves on their first day at Otago.
The two trees on the ground floor of the Central Library feature dozens of messages, reminding tauira to ask for help, talk to new people, and make the most of the opportunities on offer.
Library Māori Engagement Advisor Donna Waitere had been thinking of ways to help returning tauira engage with the library, after the success of a Matariki display last year.
“I thought they would be the best people to give their advice and wisdom to new students who might be struggling to find their way,” she says.
Some of the notes written by tauira on the trees in the Central Library.
Donna is thrilled with how it has been working so far, calling the messages “beautiful” and “thoughtful”.
“Some people come to University with a set plan of what they want to study, but things don’t always work out. It’s nice for those students who have been through it to pass on that it will all be okay,” she says.
“The feedback has been really positive.”
The trees will be up in the libraries until Anzac Day.
Any staff and returning tauira are welcome to add their advice before then.
Korero by Media Engagement Advisor Jessica Wilson