Betty G. Bengtson, Director of Libraries
At the beginning of each academic year, we have an all-staff meeting in the Libraries at which I report to the staff on their accomplishments during the past year. The list is always impressive and 1995-96 was no exception.
During the year the Libraries' staff improved services in several ways. We surveyed library users, provided training for all staff in service provision, expanded the UWired program, implemented a new Loan Code, began planning for enrollment increases, and appointed a Task Force on Library Services and Distance Education. Our Health Sciences Library and Information Center expanded its services to faculty and students, and to health professionals in the region, and continued its important work in the IAIMS program.
Electronic services and resources were enhanced with additional databases added to the campus network, by the provision of links between some citation databases and our journal holdings, and through the expansion of our Web presence, equipment upgrades, and development of a Windows 95 migration strategy. We implemented online circulation in our last library, the East Asia Library, and Special Collections mounted our first electronic exhibit, No Finer Site.
We increased our annual private support by 17 percent. Through a special legislative appropriation requested by the University, we were able to give long-overdue attention to improving salary competitiveness for librarians and professional staff.
Lastly, the staff spent a great deal of time on facilities-related issues, beginning intensive planning for the renovation of the Suzzallo Library in 1997-99, and continuing work on the new Foster Business Library. The Media Center, HSLIC, Suzzallo Periodicals and Microforms/Newspapers benefited from renovation projects. Two additional collaboratories and a Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology were created in the Odegaard Undergraduate Library as part of the UWired program.
In addition to these new initiatives, the staff continued a high level of routine work. We added over 120,000 print volumes to the collections and circulated more than 1 million items. Each week we provided services to more than 100,000 people who entered our libraries. About 10 percent of those users were not affiliated with the University.
It is the hard work and dedication of the staff that make it possible to accomplish so much in a time of budget constraints and increasing workload. They have my admiration and thanks.