A. Impressive Library Facilities

 

 

Reaffirm the goal of UW Libraries to continue create spaces and resources for UW students that will be an enriching, vibrant and memorable learning environment.

 

                   Such an environment is is so important. It is the driving motivation for the $45 million

                   transformation of the CC library is to create the best possible place for students. This is the

                   centerpeice of the College's strategic plan led by president Tiefenthaler.   

 

 

B. Tremendous Print and Digital Collections

 

          i.  Continue to ensure state-wide access

 

          ii.  They are affordable (to users)

 

          iii.  They make an important contribution to library collaborations

 

 

           See: Wyoming Schoalrs Respository

                             (http://repository.uwyo.edu/DigitalCommons/BePress/)

 

 

           See: UW Digital (built on Islandora and Discovery Garden open source platform

                            http://uwdigital.uwyo.edu/)

 

C.  Other Initiatives for the future

 

           i.  Advocate for a University and Library Statement in support of the principles of Open Access

 

           ii. Reconsider participation in the University of Colorado Press

 

                          In a tough market for University Presses, UCP is a impressive success.

                                        - In the last few years it has expanded its membership to Utah State University

                                        - Expanded its membership in Colorado

                                        - Maintained a vigorous publication agenda

 

           iii.  Explore if and how the library could promote or take more of a leadership role in the creation

                         (and not only the collection) of learning/research materials.

 

                          At the "Apple Day" Conference at Colorado State Univeristy three weeks ago,

                          I was so impressed by what Georgia Sate Univeristy, and in particular, what their

                          Educational Resources Department was doing in creating extremely inexpensive, text-

                          rich, interactive, e-books for students.  Dr. Jim Moore, Professor of Veterinary Science

                          profiled some of their recent publications.  

 

                           What could an academic library do to promote, or even take a leadership role,

                           in such an initiative?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my experience, students generally do not select Universities to attend because of its library or libraries, but a great library adds enormous quality to the learning experience and many times symbolizes the most cherished memory of alumni. Alumni will go back not so much to a particular classroom or office but often they will go back to the library. In my view, in my vision, the library embodies the best of a quality education:

                              

The Library represents:

                               Intellectual Discovery

                               Social interaction

                               Diversity

                               World View

                               Freedom

 

 

 

In short, my vision of the the academic library includes 

supporting and advancing not only what

a student knows but who that student is (existentially).

 

This is key to my philosophy of education (to which I

have devoted much time and thought over the years).