Annual Report
2003-2004

Summary of Library Activities for 2003-2004

Looking Back

In preparing an annual report, it is traditional to look back over the past year and report the projects and events that have changed the organization.

Recently reminded of the 10th anniversary of the World Wide Web, it seemed appropriate to look back over the past 10 years and reflect on this period of intense change in libraries and information services and how the VC/UHV Library has changed as well.

Checking our annual report for 1993-1994, we found:

• We were pleased to receive five 486 megahertz computers to replace IBM XT's.
• The total number of computers in the library was 29.
• We were delighted about the installation of the CD-ROM network, which would allow us to provide library wide access to 10 electronic databases.
• We were very concerned about the growth of ITV classes and how we were going to be able to serve students taking classes at remote locations.
• We were worried that the increased costs of periodicals would require us to cut our subscriptions, providing fewer journals for our users.
• Library subscriptions for print periodicals totaled 827.

By 2003-2004:

• Library accepted receipt of nineteen 3.2 gigahertz computers.
• The total number of computers is now 103.
• CD-ROM networks are "dead technology," the World Wide Web has replaced CD-ROM as the technology of research databases.
• We provide off-campus access to over 80 electronic databases and over 35,000 electronic books.
• Approximately 1/2 of library database usage comes from off-campus locations.
• We worry about the increased costs of electronic databases will require us to cut our subscriptions, providing fewer databases for our users.
• Our electronic databases give our users access to over 22,000 magazines and journals.

We asked our librarians to reflect on the changes of the last 10 years and tell us how the World Wide Web has changed their areas of responsibility.

Sheron Barnes, Special Collections Librarian says that "the constant of acquisition, preservation, and accessibility of historically valuable records is the still the goal of archives.  Through the World Wide Web, archive departments now have a means of providing global access to information about their holdings as well as to the actual records. Researchers' expectations have changed dramatically as they become more accustomed to web access to information." 

Paula Packard, Catalog Librarian, notes that while the constant in cataloging "remains the processing of materials to make them available to our users, a shift in philosophy from strict rules based cataloging system to a more user-oriented system has evolved in the cataloging department. The processing of electronic materials, from government publications to electronic books, has made our materials more challenging to describe."

No part of the library has seen a greater change than the periodicals department. Mitzie Stewart, Periodicals Librarian, told us that the "Internet's ability to transfer large amounts of data quickly, cheaply, and with relative ease for users brought about a total revision of the Library's policy for periodicals holdings, and changed the way in which we provide journal articles to faculty and students. Ten years ago we subscribed to 1,200 magazine and journal titles, and preserved most of the backfile either in bound print or microform. Today we subscribe to fewer than 400 titles, and keep only a few journals permanently. One of the unanswered questions about the digital world is whether sacrificing ownership for access will be detrimental to library collections in the long run."

Karen Locher, Head of Public Services, feels that ease of finding journal articles using electronic databases versus using printed indexes (a laborious task), has contributed to users preferring journals over books for information. "If its not online, many users won't bother with printed resources."

Lori Williamson, Access Services Librarian, feels that "the biggest change (and challenge) has been trying to connect with students (and faculty) whom you never see face to face.  Learning to communicate entirely by email or chat (sometimes phone, but not often) has been a big change.  Without the body language, expressions, and voice intonation, we have had to learn to make our written skills clear and concise and re-evaluate the entire ‘reference interview' process."

Joe Dahlstrom, Director of Libraries, points to the issue of access versus ownership shift of the last ten years. "With the wealth of online full-text resources that have become available over the last ten years, we have truly made the shift from owning journals to providing access to them through online subscriptions." He further notes that "because our online resources are accessible 24/7, students have access to our resources whenever they need them."

For a few more comparisons, look at the chart below: