Saturday, September 27 raised the curtain on a new collaboration between the University of Oregon Libraries and Student Orientation Programs.
Outside of normal hours of operation, Knight Library opened its doors exclusively to first-year and transfer students for an evening packed with live music, carnival games, DIY crafting workshops, and more.
Once inside, students were invited to hit the links on a quiet area mini-golf course, visit a video game lounge, make hands-on music at an instrument petting zoo, answer trivia, compete in an AI prompting challenge, create a postcard to send home, or partake in many other activities staged across three floors of the historic library building.
For newcomers to the campus community, it was an opportunity to mix, mingle, make friends, and get familiar with library resources and spaces in a casual, after-dark environment. More than 1,200 students attended.
"The energy during the event was overwhelmingly positive," said Undergraduate Engagement and Student Success Librarian Chloe Barnett, who lead development of the new program and co-chaired the team that coordinated the evening's activities. "It was wonderful to welcome so many new students into the library who were excited about starting a new chapter of their lives at UO."
There was lots of fun-and-games on offer—but this event was about more than just having a good time. A growing body of research indicates that students who engage with library resources achieve better academic performance on average, including higher GPAs, improved retention, and more timely progress to graduation. These outcomes are especially evident for students who connect with libraries (and librarians!) early on in their academic careers.
Positive implications are already in evidence as our library spaces continue to bustle with fall term now well underway. In the month following Knight at Night, library visitor counts were up nearly 10 percent over the prior academic year.
Reflecting on the night's events, Barnett concluded: “We had a whole team of library employees who put together a remarkable event with creativity, enthusiasm and care. The work absolutely paid off."
Knight at Night Planning Team: Chloe Barnett and Jaz Tojong (co-chairs), Adam Becker, Eowyn Boosinger, Maria Chiochios, Nancy Cunningham, James Daley, Mandi Garcia, Franny Gaede, Amy Lake, Evey Lennon, Liam McClary, Jimmy Murray, Ann Shaffer, Kate Smith, Jason Stone, Annie Zeidman-Karpinski
Student Feedback & Testimonials
Q: WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT KNIGHT AT NIGHT?
- "Had a great time, loved all the opp. to meet friends!"
- "MADE YOU EXPLORE THE WHOLE LIBRARY"
- "Everyone who works here is so nice :)"
- "I enjoyed the variety of activities! So many different things to learn about!"
- "Loved the vibe and opportunity to explore the library! <3"
- "So much fun! Really helped me feel at home! Plz do again!!!"
- “There was so much to do & it was all free!”
- "I liked how informative it was"
- “Very fun – Cool time – Nice community – Very organized”
- “I liked the variety of stuff, the music, and helpful staff!”
- “I loved ALL the events. Felt included”
- "BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR!!! 10/10 event"
Q: WHAT'S SOMETHING USEFUL YOU LEARNED?
- “OPEN LATE!”
- “Infinite places to study!”
- “Free textbooks - for real! <3”
- “Many ways to get course materials!”
- “Knight Library has great staff, great resources, and great vibes”
- “There's amazing resources you just have to use them”
- “You can check out video games – in college!
- “You can straight up check out an instrument!!!”
- “Super extensive UO history archive!”
- “They have amazing primary sources”
- “NEVER pay for a tutor! (@ the library at least)”
- "You can learn everything here!! <3”
Story by Jason Stone | Photos by Harper Lombard, Advertising and Cinema Studies major (Class of '26) and UO Libraries Communications Assistant