By Faith Ball
Social media platforms are constantly buzzing with new information. Although watching a 20-second clip on Instagram or TikTok is entertaining, some find verifying what they hear online daunting. Websites with ad popups and paywalls can deter many, but Grand Rapids Community College has alleviated this stress by providing access to free educational tools.
Online resources have grown more crucial as the Library & Learning Commons is still under construction, and the library has been relocated to the 5th floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall. The original library offered around 100,000 physical works. Now, the library holds only a fraction of its content. Although the library’s physical resources are more limited, there is still plenty of material.
“(The Library) currently offers 100 physical magazines and newspapers, 782 course reserves (textbooks available for in-library use only), and 3,000 books,” Sophia Brewer, Faculty Librarian, stated in an email to The Collegiate.
The GRCC library has a website created and operated by library staff. This website has helpful resources such as the Grand Rapids Press, Detroit Free Press and The New York Times. Brewer works on the GRCC Library and Learning Commons website for its subject guides.
“Subject guides are curated lists of resources designed to help users research specific topics. These guides support students in their research by including books, journals, databases, websites and so much more,” she stated.
To access the “News – Newspapers, Newswires, News Sources” subject guide from the GRCC homepage, type “Library” in the search box or hover over the “Student Resources” tab and select “Library & Learning Commons.” Once on the Library’s page, scroll down and click on “Subject Guides,” then select “News – Newspapers, Newswires, News Sources” from the list. You can also go directly to the guide… in your browser’s address bar. Students can access the NYT via the Library News Subject Guide to set up an account, then they can bookmark it if they like,” stated Brewer.
Some classes require a subscription to The New York Times, so the free New York Times account is an essential resource. This subscription includes full access to news, cooking, podcasts, product reviews and The Athletic.
“In the last seven days, the News – Newspapers, Newswires, News Sources subject guide has been accessed 84 times, with 61 of those views specifically for The New York Times,” Brewer stated.
According to the latest population statistic on Jan. 19, 2024, 11,487 students attended GRCC. This means that during the week of Feb. 10, 2025, less than 1% of students utilized the GRCC Library and Learning Commons website and the free New York Times account. College is expensive, so taking advantage of free resources is imperative.
