East Wing spotlights new
technologies
While the explosion of
information technologies offers library users much more
than printed matter, it also can cause confusion.
To help people navigate
the array of resources now available -- in printed
volumes, on the Internet, on CD-ROMs and in specialized
databases -- a new Information Center has opened on the
first floor of Green Library's East Wing. The center,
which replaces the reference desk, is designed to be the
primary contact point for information, reference and
research needs in humanities, sciences, social sciences
and government documents.
The first floor of the
1980 building was gutted. In the process, a row of
offices that had window views was removed to open up the
floor to wide views of verdant campus surroundings.
"The intention here
was to create a counterforce to the very traditional
literary space" of the restored Bing Wing, said
University Librarian Michael Keller.
The work in Green East
began only this summer.
"This may be the
fastest construction program ever," said Kären
Nagy, deputy university librarian. "Some elements
aren't there yet," she said, including a bank of 32
computer terminals and a "media bar" behind the
main information desk.
In addition, the library
is still seeking funding for a "media wall" to
be located at the entrance of the East Wing.
"It will be very hip,
very high tech," Keller promised. He foresees a
variety of interactive media that can help users find
what they need in the library, as well as monitors
displaying live news feeds, for example.
"We're trying to make
the students self-sufficient in their use of information
resources," he said. "We may put up self-guided
tours or we may end up doing some modest teaching of
small groups." Technical assistance also will be
available to provide assistance with use of the computer
cluster and other electronic devices such as scanners and
printers.
The Information Center
includes a print collection of 25,000 volumes, as well as
digital sources, and incorporates Interlibrary Services
and Current Periodicals, which are located in adjacent
reading areas. As more information becomes available in
digital format, the printed collection is expected to
diminish in size.
Information Center staff
can assist users with questions about government
documents and respond to requests for information on
political or economic impacts of a topic. They can refer
advanced research questions to the new Humanities and
Social Sciences Resource Centers located in the adjacent
Bing Wing. The Bing Wing's renovation includes new and
improved connections to Green East so that
programatically the two buildings function as one. SR
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