Walking into a library can be overwhelming when attempting to find a book among the hundreds to thousands that line the various shelves and racks. Even with helpful staff and the computer catalog, it can be quite a task to find what is needed.

The Cosumnes River College librarians created the Golden Ticket program to encourage students to learn how to use the resources on hand.

The Golden Ticket program is a way for students to earn a reward while learning how to use books on reserve and simultaneously helping the library build their collection of reserved textbooks. When checking out a textbook from the reserve desk, students will receive a golden ticket stamp card.

“We’re trying to encourage them to hold onto those cards so that they aren’t having to look up that number every single time they come in,” said librarian Andi Adkins-Pogue. “It’s just easier and more efficient.”

Every time a student uses a book on reserve, they will receive a stamp on the golden ticket stamp card. For every sixth stamp, the student will be entered in a raffle for a $5 print card.

To receive the card from the reserve desk, students must meet certain requirements.

“Students must have the call number and their ID card to receive a stamp card,” said Library Media Technical Assistant Laurie Pownall.

Call numbers act like the address of the book and allow a student to locate titles throughout the library on their own. Library staff, including Pownall said they are encouraging students to keep call numbers and stamp cards on hand.

The first drawing was on Feb. 9 where three $5 print cards were raffled off. There will be 10 cards given away total. The next drawing is to be determined.

“This is the first semester we’ve tried something like this,” Adkins-Pogue said.  “So far we have gotten a good response.”

Maya Hailey, an 18-year-old psychology major said she had not heard of the program, but would start using it.

“I actually think that’s great,” said Hailey. “I definitely print a lot of papers now this semester, so that would help a lot if I won.”

Adkins-Pogue said the main reason why they started the incentive program was to help educate students.

“It’s two fold. We’re doing it for students because we found that a lot of students don’t understand what a call number is,” Adkins-Pogue said. “They’re maybe coming from an environment where they haven’t used a library a lot. So that’s part of the teaching process and learning process for us, so that they understand that the call number is the address of the book and that’s how we’re able to find it.”

Adkins-Pogue said that students should know that even though the books on reserve are behind the counter, they can use call numbers to find any other books in the library.

However, teaching students was not the library staff’s only intention.

“We are trying to have as many reserved books available as possible,” Adkins-Pogue said. “We are working with instructors and working on building that collection. And we just want students to know that if they can’t afford the book or they can’t get the book by the time the semester starts that we might have it here, so they should check out the library.”