Instructional Media offers various entertainment options

Recent talks in the SGA about acquiring a Redbox for the Troy University campus have highlighted the student body’s desire for more on-campus entertainment options, but many students may not be aware that the Troy University campus has several underused entertainment options of its own.

Tucked away deep in an obscure, vaguely-named section of the Troy Campus Library, the “Instructional Media” area offers students a variety of current and free entertainment options. Here are the highlights of the university’s library resources:

Watch – When it comes to video media, this section has a little bit of everything. For history or science buffs, this section has both feature-length documentaries and TV series by big-name production companies such as BBC, PBS, TLC, The Discovery Channel and The History Channel.

For Hulu users, primetime entertainment options include “Lost” (all seasons) and “Game of Thrones” (seasons 1 and 2). For those who frequently use Redbox and Netflix, film options include everything from the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series to blockbusters such as “Girl with a Dragon Tattoo” and “Oz the Great and Powerful.”

For those who are interested in watching films on VHS, the library offers various options on VHS and the needed equipment needed to watch them.

Listen – For those who frequent Spotify, this section offers a diverse selection of CDs ranging from Frank Sinatra and The Beatles to Adele and Josh Groban.

This section also has a large selection of books on CD and includes popular titles such as the “Twilight” series, the “Eragon” series and the complete works of Shakespeare.

Read – For those who frequented the public library in high school, this section contains many of the same memorable titles for check out. Young Adult fiction options include the “Harry Potter” series, the “Artemis Fowl” series and the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” collection. Classical book options include “Rifle for Watie,” “Summer of the Monkeys” and “The Red Badge of Courage.”

The obscure location of the Instructional Media area may be part of the reason it is used so infrequently.

“My freshman year, I was going to the library to study with a sophomore friend,” said Jordan Smith, a senior social science major from Pace, Fla. “She suggested we go to the Instructional Media area. I didn’t know where it was until she showed me.”

To find the Instructional Media area, enter the library and approach the reference desk. Turn right at the desk, and you will see a sign over a small doorway that reads “Instructional Media.”

After passing into a large room with tables, turn left. At the back of the room are various shelves that hold the media options. If you have any trouble finding what you are looking for, you can ask one of the librarians for assistance.

Media options can also be explored by searching the Troy Campus Library’s online catalog. Audio and visual media options are available to be checked out for 7 days. Late items have a $1/per day fee.