Supporting student success: Emma Mires-Richards

“We are here to help you succeed.”

Research skills are critical components of academic success. To ensure that Kent students have the opportunity to thrive on their courses, the University has dedicated team of subject-specific liaison librarians to help students hone and apply project and research management skills.

“I support students in their academic journeys by helping them to navigate, discover and use the resources,” says Emma Mires-Richards, the liaison librarian for Classical and Archaeological Studies. “I help to develop confidence in finding information, thinking critically about research and evaluating sources to expose new perspectives and voices.” These techniques are crucial at university and are especially important for employers after graduation.

When you start your degree, searching for books, articles and other sources to support your work can seem like a daunting task. But through training sessions and one to one consultations, Kent students can call on Emma’s expertise if they need help with locating primary or secondary material for their projects. The help offered by the liaison librarians complements well the subject knowledge and guidance that students receive from their lecturers.

It is often at university where students find their voice and hone their perspectives. This is something which Emma is keen to foster in Kent students for their studies and beyond: “it is so important to bring your own experiences to the research; that might be part of what makes your take on something unique.”

Emma also curates an online resource guide for Classical and Archaeological Studies. Bringing together reading lists, annotated bibliographies, associated media and databases, the guide is an excellent first step for your projects and work.

Emma is based in the University’s sprawling Templeman Library and is available for consultation throughout the year. Asked for her top tip for academic success, Emma answers: “Always seek help. We are here to help you succeed and are happy to support you in the use of resources and exploring different search strategies.”

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