Over the past year the UW Libraries has completed a series of outstanding accomplishments, including implementation of a new library system and provision of a uniform graphical interface to a wide variety of networked information resources. A number of library facilities have been renovated and updated to take advantage of information technology. An extensive staff training and retooling program has been set in place. Several user surveys have been conducted and the results are shaping changes in our services program. These initiatives have given the Libraries a firm foundation for the future.
To continue progress in its transition to a library for the 21st century, the Libraries has undertaken a planning effort to set goals for the next two biennia. Libraries staff will work to complete the process during the fall, but it is clear that continuing to improve user services and providing better access to more information resources will be major goals.
We will ask many of you to participate in our continuing assessment of user needs as we work to meet these ambitious goals for improving services. We will look for additional ways to utilize the resources of the Libraries to contribute to and leverage the University's teaching, research and service efforts. Our librarians and staff can offer valuable skills to the university community as exciting changes are beginning to affect many aspects of teaching and research.
One way to expand the Libraries' contribution is through campus collaboration and partnerships to achieve common goals. Through collaboration the Libraries and Computing & Communications (C&C) developed UWIN, the UW's campus-wide information network and Willow/Wilco, the uniform interface. Each organization contributed unique resources and expertise in creating one of the best university information environments available. Working together the Libraries and C&C have been able to accomplish what neither could have done alone.
A new and very exciting collaboration, the UWired Freshman Interest Group Project, is described in the following article. The Libraries has joined the Office of Undergraduate Education and C&C in a pilot project to integrate the use of information technology into undergraduate teaching. The Libraries has contributed people, expertise and space to UWired. Our participation is funded in part by the Allen Endowment which was created to support innovative library programs and collection enhancement. The Project begins to provide structure and formal recognition for the extensive instructional program that the Libraries has offered for many years. We are pleased to be working with other campus entities in this ground-breaking project to enhance undergraduate education.
A second collaboration is announced in this issue of Library Directions in the article on the research funding and grants information service being created on a trial basis by the Libraries in cooperation with the Office of Research. Modeled on an existing service in the health sciences, which is itself a partnership between the Health Sciences Library and Information Center and the Medical School, this program will target research funding support for the humanities and social sciences. Again the Libraries participation is funded in part by the Allen Endowment. The Libraries has provided some of the staffing, space and information resources for the service.
We expect to initiate other partnerships during the coming months. I look forward to reporting to you the results of current and future collaborations.