Library Newsletter - September 2008
Vol. 13, No. 1
Word from the Director
Maurice G. Fortin, Library Director
Last year I welcomed you back to another year of change at ASU. Well, this year I think the pace of change will only increase at even more dizzying speeds! Not only does the campus have more building projects underway or in the planning stages; but, most importantly, the University will undertake a critical process of integrating planning and budgeting through a strategic planning process under the direction of Dr. James Limbaugh the new Vice President for Strategy, Planning and Policy. Over the course of the fall semester, the University will confirm its new mission statement and develop strategic goals and a new assessment process. This work will help the University achieve its Vision 2012 objectives; but again most importantly, refocus all units on campus to work toward providing the best educational experience for our students.
Library staff members are eager to participate in this process. During the various stages of the process, staff members will work to include the concept of information literacy into the University’s educational outcome objectives. Information literacy skills will help to prepare our students to succeed in today’s, as well as tomorrow’s, increasingly competitive global markets.
Unlike Newsletters from previous years, this first issue will consist simply of my welcome and summary information. The traditional information from past years concerning the Library’s services and resources is now available through "Guide to Library Services, 2008-2009" on the Library’s web site. (See http://www.angelo.edu/services/library/guide.html. A link also can be found in the "News & Announcements" box on the main Library page.) Over the course of the summer, staff members worked to create this new page to highlight and bring together information on the Library’s many services and resources that meet the ASU community’s need for information. Since the guide to the Library’s services and resources will be in a web format, staff members will be able to keep it up-to-date and provide information on a regular basis as new services and resources arrive and become available for your use.
In addition to this issue, the Library Newsletter will appear twice more during FY 09. In between formal issues of the Newsletter, please watch for special announcements through "Everyone" messages, links in "News & Announcements" on the Library’s main web page, and from the Library’s tab on RamPort. These announcements will alert you to changes in hours, new resources, enhanced services, or other developments that will effect Library services and resources.
Since the University was able to upgrade to the enterprise version of Blackboard, I requested that Library staff members explore using this enhanced version of Blackboard as a possible means of providing another and better avenue for access to the Library’s online resources (catalog, databases, instructional tutorials, e-reserves, etc.). Before the end of the fall semester, be watching for announcements about how you can incorporate the Library’s online resources and services into your classroom Blackboard accounts. This should make it much easier for our students to access the Library’s services and resources while completing homework and research assignments.
The Library received a 50� increase in the Library Fee for FY 09. This increase will make it possible to maintain the Library’s current operation schedule. (For the Library’s hours, see http://www.angelo.edu/services/library/libhours.html.) One of the few changes will be that the Library will be open longer hours over Spring Break. (8am to 8pm, March 16-20, 2009). The majority of the new revenue from this slight increase in the Library Fee will go to the Library’s Materials Budget. Since last year, the Library added several new database services. The American National Biography Online offers portraits of more than 17,400 individuals whose lives have shaped the nation. Ferguson's Career Guidance Center provides detailed and up-to date descriptions of more than 2,050 of the most popular jobs in 94 industries, as well as sample resumes, and some scholarship information. Global Road Warrior, a 175-country resource, emphasizes business travel but includes all aspects of society and culture, as well as downloadable maps. The set of databases in Literature Criticism Online replaces many of the Library’s Gale print literature criticism titles, including coverage of the classical and medieval periods, Shakespearean, and nineteenth and twentieth century literature. Another newly-accessible database is the Homeland Security Digital Library, which the Library has access to because of our status as a federal depository library. The database contains the nation's premier collection of documents related to homeland security policy, strategy, and organizational management published by government and private organizations.
Each year brings another significant increase in usage of these online services. Final numbers will not be known until later in the fall, but as of the end of July, the ASU community is on pace to have performed more than 300,000 searches and used (viewed, printed, e-mailed, retrieved, downloaded, etc.) more than 600,000 articles, books, citations, images, etc. from the more than 270 database services available from the Library’s tab on RamPort. In the next issue of the Newsletter, I will provide more statistics on how the ASU community used the Library’s resources and services in FY 08.
Probably the most exciting development for FY 09 will be the beginning of the formal planning process for the Library’s long-awaited remodeling project which includes the creation of a Learning Commons on the First Floor. Following the go ahead from the Texas Tech University Board of Regents in the spring, ASU began the process for architectural firms to submit their proposals to be the design firm for the Library’s remodeling project and two other new building projects on campus. More than fifteen firms submitted proposals for the Library remodeling project. Following a review process lasting from May to July, two firms were invited to campus to make a more focused presentation on the Library project. Those presentations occurred in mid-August. At this point, appropriate University officials will make a recommendation concerning the selected firm.
After all of the proverbial T's are crossed and the I's dotted for the paperwork, the selected firm will then begin working with Library and Information Technology staff members as well as other University staff, faculty, and students to begin the formal design process. Hopefully, final plans will be submitted in spring 2009. This will allow for the bid process and construction to begin in summer and/or late fall 2009. In other words, in about 18 to 24 months, everyone on campus will be able to enjoy and use the new Learning Commons as well as extensively remodeled areas throughout the rest of the Library.
It will not be pleasant during the construction process. Some of you probably remember the disruptions caused by the Third Floor addition process. This remodeling project will probably be worse than that one; however, the end results with the Learning Commons, new study areas, better group study rooms, new library instruction spaces, etc., will make the disruptions worthwhile and bearable.
The Library has a new, temporary tenant. The new Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research office is located in the southwest corner of the Library’s Second Floor. Years ago, that corner housed the old computer lab locale in the Library. For the Center’s phone numbers, services, and resources, please see the web page at http://www.angelo.edu/dept/citr/. I encourage all faculty members to stop by and visit this new office to check out all of the great help Dr. Trish Hutchinson’s group provides.
Well, as I said at the beginning of these ramblings, welcome back for another year of change at ASU. Please be sure to contact me with your questions and comments.
