WILLISTON, N.D. - A former Williston State College student and a familiar face in Andrea's Bookstore, Shari Erdman and her friendly smile can now be found upstairs in the WSC Learning Commons.

Erdman is the new Learning Commons Coordinator. "I am excited to be in this new position and continue to work with the great faculty and staff at WSC," explained Erdman. "We all share the same goal: to see students succeed."

Erdman transitioned to the Learning Commons because she wanted to work with students one-on-one and to assist them throughout their educational journey. "Each student has a story and sometimes they just need someone to listen and lend a helping hand," stated Erdman. "We also enjoy having students stop by and visit with us in the library!"

The Learning Commons turned a new page this summer when old fiction books, most unread for years, were rehomed to Frontier Hall or consolidated in the library. In exchange for stacks, there is more open space filled with comfy seating areas, chairs and tables, and charging stations for electronic devices.

"Long gone are the days of card catalogues, uptight librarians, and information confined to print materials in one location!" exclaimed Erdman. "It is exciting to see the transformation of the Learning Commons where with digitization and Internet, the sky is the limit!"

Through the online catalog, students can find subscription databases, journal articles, eBooks, audiobooks and videos available for streaming, and much more. In addition to online resources, the Learning Commons offers the following student services: research and Blackboard assistance, laptop and scientific calculator rentals, issuing student ID cards, and printing. The Learning Commons is open 7:30 am to 7:30 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm on Fridays.

"The Learning Commons is a great place for students to gather and collaborate on projects, just hang out, or work on their own," said Erdman. "This is their space and it will be important for us to continue keeping relevant resources and tools that reflect the current world we live in."

A Williston native, Erdman graduated from WSC with her AA and AS degrees in 2017. Erdman is an Advanced Certified Paralegal in Trial Practice with the National Association of Legal Assistants and worked as a paralegal before deciding to return to school in 2015.

"I always had it in my mind to return to school," said Erdman. "You're never too old, right?"

For more information on the Learning Commons, please contact Katie Peterson at 701.774.4594 or katie.m.peterson.1@willistonstate.edu.  

For more information on WSC, please visit www.willistonstate.edu, call 1.888.863.9455, or stop by 1410 University Avenue, Williston, ND.