Although Alfred and Fenley Hamilton experienced Carolina three decades apart, the father and daughter share a love for the University Libraries.
Alfred ’94 is a banker in Charlotte, North Carolina; the former journalism major now serves on the Friends of the Library Board of Directors. Fenley ’25 is double majoring in psychology and exercise and sports science.
Windows invited them to talk with each other about Carolina’s libraries. They started by asking each other if they have a favorite library.
Fenley: My friends and I go to the Robert B. House Undergraduate Library when we each want to study on our own and head to Davis Library when we are collaborating on group projects.
Going to the library is a great way to get my work done—because seeing others working around me is motivating—while also meeting new people and seeing classmates. I spend a lot of time at Davis Library because it helps me grow as a student who is very involved in academics, but also to grow as a person, finding my own strengths. I love our libraries and they are a huge part of my education at Carolina.
Alfred: I liked Davis as well, which was fairly new when I was at Carolina. We always went to the Undergraduate Library as part of our social lives because you’d see a lot of people. Wilson Library is a place where I regret not spending more time because I didn’t think undergrads were welcome. It is such a gorgeous and stately building that almost felt unreachable. One of the things I love on campus now is seeing so many undergraduates going in and out of Wilson because it is such a cornerstone on campus.
Alfred: Fenley, I asked you once which is your favorite library to hang out and you told me to be more specific. I found that to be interesting because to me, that means you go to different places for different experiences.
Fenley: When I think about the library, I don’t think about one building, I think about the entire campus. When I’m on campus and need to read a book, I go to the Stone Center. If I want to talk with people, I go to Davis. I go to the Undergraduate Library when it’s late at night and I have to finish work. That’s the beauty of Carolina: we each have our own journey. So, at the library, I may not know what the person sitting on either side of me is working on, but I know that while we’re not working together, we’re doing UNC together. Libraries foster bringing the community together.
Dad, does serving on the Friends Board bring back memories from your time at Carolina?
Alfred: Absolutely. It is a very powerful sense of belonging, and the library leadership makes us feel so welcome. What I love about serving is the diversity of thought all around the room. Everyone associated with the University needs the Libraries to be successful. There is a direct correlation between student success and the Libraries’ effectiveness.
Fenley: I agree. I cannot imagine doing research or being able to pass any test without the resources and staff of the Libraries.
By Michele Lynn
