Students in the Library and Information Science Student Assembly (LISSA) at the School of Information Studies (iSchool) are conducting a holiday media drive to benefit the Family Resource Center at Upstate Medical University’s Golisano Children’s Hospital.
The Family Resource Center provides health information materials, computer-based resources and support for hospital patients, families, staff and the community. Professional library staff, volunteers and nurse educators are on hand to assist with finding services and resources so patients and their families can locate the information they need to make informed health decisions. Services are free of charge and include lending of books and media, research assistance and providing information from medical literature and Internet sources.
“The center also lends books, movies and games to children’s hospital patients,” explains Briana Galea, an alumna of the iSchool’s LIS program, and clinical outreach librarian at the Family Resource Center. “It allows them to take a bit of fun back to their rooms.”
LISSA will accept new and used DVDs and PS3 games for the center through Jan. 19, 2018.
“Newer movies and racing games are in high demand,” says Galea, “and it benefits the patients and families at the hospital by helping to create a sense of normalcy for children staying there—it can make their experience more manageable.”
“We wanted to volunteer as a group during the holiday season, to give back,” says Kayla Del Biondo, an LIS student at the iSchool who serves as LISSA president. “I work part time at the Family Resource Center, so it has a special place in my heart. I see how many movies and video games circulate each day, so I asked Briana how we could help, and soon after, the drive went from an idea to an actual plan!”
To make a donation, e-mail LISSA students at lissasyracuse@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time and location.
Questions can be directed to Kayla Del Biondo at kmdelbio@syr.edu.
