REFERENCE POINTU N I V E R S I T Y L I B R A R I E S N E W S L E T T E R • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 4

Continued on page 11

Central Michigan University’s Library 197 course is more than a simple demon-stration of the practical skills needed to conduct library research. The course alsohelps CMU students develop information literacy.

The one-credit hour class, which meets twice a week and is taught exclusively byCMU librarians, provides students with the skills and background to discover anduse the books, newspapers, government documents, and electronic resources inuniversity and college libraries.

“The Library 197 course is an opportunity for students to learn and think aboutinformation,” said Michael Lorenzen, head of reference services. “We are usingthis class to teach students how to evaluate the research they find.”

The eight-week course begins with students touring the 306,000 square-footlibrary. Instructors describe how call numbers, databases, and periodicals areorganized. Then students undertake projects and assignments designed to helpthem understand plagiarism and copyright laws. They learn how to tap thelibrary’s many resources, from government documents to historical resources. Atour of Clarke Historical Library concludes the class before a final project is due.

Information literacy leads to success

In addition to giving students useful experiences in locating electronic and printsources, the information literacy skills gained through the course are beneficial tothe students’ overall college success, said Lorenzen.

CMU’s Library 197 course offersinformation, literacy skills for students

CMU students learn how to find and apply information resources during an eight-weekintroductory course in Park Library.

by KRISTY BRUMM

2

Dean’s Column

Exceptional new facilityhouses evolvingcollection of resources

Since the start of the New Year, some of us havebeen pausing from time to time to remember thatthe fabulous new Park Library is now two years old.The time has gone by quickly. With undiminishedpleasure I continue every day to look around thisattractive building, as I did in the first days afteropening, and observe happily the stream of CMUstudents and faculty entering and the multitudes atwork, and sometimes at leisure, using the comput-ers and study tables. There are more people in thelibrary than ever before, and our librarians and staffdaily earn their reputation for helpful service,especially in the busy evenings.

Digital resources are heavily used, particularly onlinedatabases and journals. While we have a large andcontinuing investment in our collections of printedbooks and journals – which are vital – in recentyears we’ve also made increasing purchases ofdigital materials that are accessible on the Web allthe time, even when the physical library isn’t open,and from just about everywhere. Students andfaculty have benefited greatly, with large treasuriesof academic information available to them.

Amidst these happy circumstances, behind thescenes our librarians are alert to a disquietingcombination of cultural and economic forces – local,national, and international – that affect the library’son-going ability to provide reliably the print andelectronic information resources required to supportCMU’s academic programs. The same or similarforces are affecting all university libraries.

Knowledge is growingrapidly, and new journalssprout daily or weeklythroughout the diversecurricular and facultyresearch areas, which alsoare dynamic. Publishersmerge or cease to exist,with sometimes venerablejournal titles passing from“owner” to “owner” at briefintervals. Copyright,technology, and licensingissues abound. These andother factors, including

foreign currency exchange rates and the obvious,and sometimes seemingly excessive, drive forprofits, stimulate price increases for librarymaterials, especially journals, that on occasionsurpass 300 percent and currently average about 8percent per year across all categories of books andjournals in print and electronic formats.

Even in favorable economic times, we’d be challengedto keep pace with these escalating academic needsand costs. Unfortunately, however, due to combinedprice increases and requisite university budgetreductions, our library acquisitions purchasingpower has declined significantly since 2001.

While the splendid physical Park Library is impres-sively constructed and proving itself well in service,building the intellectual “library,” consisting of a richand relevant collection of print and digital knowledgeresources, is a work in progress and always will be.Though our present challenges are difficult, choosingwhat to have “in the library” – both tangibly and nowvirtually – is a task truly as old as libraries.

Our librarians will continue to work with faculty inbalancing the complex interplay of needs andopportunities, aspirations and realities, to ensure theavailability of library resources for learning andresearch at Central Michigan University. In additionto maintaining funding, the fundamental success ofthe library depends on this essential work. In thissense “constructing” the Park Library continues, andit is our most important commitment and priority, fornow and the future.

Tom Moore

Dean of Libraries

Reference Point is published twiceannually by University Libraries.

Address questions and suggestions to:Office of the DeanPark Library 407DCentral Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI 48859

Editorial BoardThomas J. MooreDean of Libraries

Gerry EdgarManager, Library Business ServicesReference Point Coordinator

Anne Marie CaseyAssociate Dean of Libraries

Jill Almasi-DoleDirector of Development and

Community Outreach

ProductionCMU Public Relations and Marketing

WritersKristy Brumm, New Baltimore seniorShavonne Singleton, Lansing juniorLisa Sommer, Saginaw seniorJosh Tilley, Minnesota senior

EditorMark Lagerwey

DesignerSydnee MacKay

PhotographersPeggy Brisbane and Robert Barclay

PrintingCMU Printing Services

Regular Library HoursMon - Thurs: 7:50 a.m. - MidnightFri: 7:50 a.m. - 6 p.m.Sat: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.Sun: Noon - Midnight

Reference Desk(989) 774-3470libref@cmich.edu

CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly andactively strives to increase diversity withinits community (see www.cmich.edu/aaeo).

PRM 6472-3,700 (1/04)

Tom Moore

REFERENCE POINT

3

Libraries statewide share resources through InMichby LISA SOMMER

In addition to the traditional Interlibrary Loanservice, University Libraries patrons have extraaccess to books outside of the CMU Park Librarycollection, thanks to InMich, an online catalog ofholdings from selected libraries throughout thestate.

“It’s always a surprise for the Interlibrary Loanstaff to open the InMich delivery,” said PamelaGrudzien, head of collection development,“They haven’t handled these requests throughour traditional procedures, and they’re oftendelighted to see what has come in.”

InMich was created two years ago as a grantproject involving six Michigan libraries. Ashared database among participating librariesallows library users to initiate their owninterlibrary loan requests.

Michigan State University, Albion College,Southfield Public Library, and the Ovid-ElsieSchools were among the anchor libraries.CMU Libraries was asked to join InMich in itssecond year. InMich now includes 27 librariesof all kinds – public, university, specialized,and K-12 schools throughout Michigan.

InMich provides patrons with animmediate connection from the CMULibraries’ catalog to the combined catalog.In total, the InMich database includes morethan four million titles. The CMU Librariescontribute more than 500,000 titles to thedatabase.

“It’s amazing how the entire system works; thepatron uses the system to decide what bookswill be sent and the system determines fromwhere,” Grudzien said.

Easy patron access

The online database is simple to use. After apatron completes a search through his or herhome library and discovers the book is notavailable, a simple click of the mouse allows thepatron to see which InMich libraries hold thebook. With another click or two, the patroninitiates the request for the item. Whenrequesting a book, a patron must provide his orher name and university ID number and identifyhis or her home library.

When a request is made from a patron at CMU, itarrives in CMU’s Interlibrary Loan in the Park Libraryvia UPS in one to four days. Depending on the timeof day books are requested and the delivery servicepickup time, books even have arrived as quickly asthe same day they were requested.

“I found the system to bequite convenient and

easy to use,” saidChristina Bouchey,

Clare senior. “Thepossibility of sources for papers

and projects now seems unlimited.”

InMich has achieved its initial mission to develop asystem that allows for easy patron access to ashared, multidisciplinary database of libraryresources. Grudzien says CMU Libraries patronshave been excited to learn that they can accesslibraries with larger collections of fiction and genre-based books.

Because InMich libraries have been able to workcooperatively and agree on a process and procedurethat truly benefits all, Grudzien said the program’ssuccess probably won’t be unnoticed by stateofficials. The legislature soon may consider arecommendation to implement the programstatewide, thus allowing even greater access tolibrary resources for the people of Michigan.

Interlibrary Loan Supervisor Margaret Dodd processes a regular flow ofin-coming and out-going books that travel between the various libraries

participating in the InMich program.

4

Creating an exhibit in the Clarke Historical Library isa time-consuming, but highly rewarding task forFrank Boles.

The Clarke Historical Library, located along the maincorridor of the Charles V. Park Library, regularlydisplays items from its extensive list of historicalholdings, including items related to CMU, publishedworks that shape the minds of young children, andMichigan and the Old Northwest Territory.

The exhibits are identified after lengthy consider-ation and careful planning. Boles, director of theClarke Historical Library, generally keeps four criteriain mind:

• Exhibits should highlight some aspect of theClarke’s collection to make the public moreaware of the library’s holdings.

Clarke exhibits feature CMU’s extensive by JOSH TILLEY

• Exhibits should highlight topics the public willfind interesting and enjoy seeing.

• Exhibits should honor a donor or other benefactorwho played an important role in making theexhibit possible.

• Exhibits should encourage future donations frompotential contributors by creating interest in thelibrary’s holdings.

“The perfect show would meet all four of thesecriteria,” said Boles. “But no show will ever beperfect.”

Once a decision is made on an exhibit topic, theplanning phase begins.

Clarke Historical Library Director Frank Boles reviews Native American portraits by James Otto Lewis.Boles is preparing the works to appear in a spring exhibit that is scheduled to open Monday, Feb. 23.

5

historical collections

Exhibits evolve around a script

The exhibit design is inspired by the topic, but dueto existing walls, exhibit cases, and bookcases,there are some obvious restrictions for the design.Working within these limitations, a “script” isdeveloped. The script determines which pieces ofthe library’s collection will be included in the exhibit,how the pieces will be displayed to best serve andenhance the exhibit, and what kinds of signage,design style, and text will be needed.

The script will usually go through two or threeiterations before the final layout is completed. Asthe script is revised, additions and enhancementsto the display often are conceived. During thisstage, items not in the library’s collection often aresought out from other collections for possible loans.

Once the script is finalized and the borrowedmaterial is received, the library has the task ofputting everything together.

The different tasks of the practical application ofthe script can vary. The final stages of completingthe exhibit may include receiving copyrightclearances, designing large wall panels, working toselect frames and formats, proofreading signage,and other tasks ranging from very basic to precisedetails.

“It’s largely my responsibility to shepherd the exhibitthrough the planning and assembling stages, but Ialso draw generously on various staff members whoare often deeply involved in getting specific tasksdone,” Boles said.

It takes approximately six months to createan exhibit, from the brainstorming stage tothe grand opening, said Boles.

Two exhibits planned forfirst half of 2004

The spring 2004 semester will featurethe artwork of James Otto Lewis, whopainted and sketched what eventuallybecame the first published collection ofNative American portraits during the1820’s. The exhibit will open in mid- tolate-February.

The summer of 2004 marks the ClarkeHistorical Library’s 50th anniversary.An exhibit featuring the best of thelibrary’s collection will help celebratethe milestone.

Last year’s Clarke exhibits included:

• Seasons of Light: Michigan Light-houses in Three Centuries. Thisexhibit featured a variety ofartifacts, books, andphotographs of lighthouses andlighthouse keepers throughout Michigan.

• Hemingway in Michigan: Michigan in Hemingway.This exhibit focused on Ernest Hemingway’sexperiences in northern Michigan during hisyouth and how they influenced his writingcareer. Highlights of the exhibit included rarephotographs from Hemingway’s youth,family mementos, and first editions of hisMichigan-related books.

The Clarke Historical Library is open to the public from 8a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and manySaturdays during the academic year.

6

Professor backs accounting scholarships,library resourcesby SHAVONNE SINGLETON

“My donations are a wayof giving back.”

– Philip KintzeleSchool of Accounting professor

At a time when budget cuts are all-too-common oncampuses across America, the University Librarieswill be able to continue building a collection ofmaterials and resources in the field of accounting.Philip Kintzele has made sure to help with that.

Kintzele, who serves as chair of CMU’s School ofAccounting, has contributed not only to the library’sacademic researchmaterials, but alsotoward the tuition ofstudents majoring inaccounting.

A member of the CMUfaculty for more than 20years, Kintzele enjoyssupporting a universitythat has given so muchto him.

“I like helping both the university and the studentshere at CMU; my donations are a way of giving back,”

Kintzele said. “I appreciate everything the universityhas done to help my career, and I support it.”

Donations fund scholarships,library resources

Since arriving at CMU in 1981, Kintzele has donatedmore than $100,000 to the university.

Kintzele’s contributions are responsible for estab-lishing two annual endowed scholarships forstudents studying accounting – the Philip L. KintzeleSchool of Accounting Scholarship, which funds themajority of a senior’s tuition, and the Philip L.Kintzele Transfer Student Scholarship, which helpsfund two juniors’ tuition expenses.

In addition to the academic scholarships, Kintzelehas established a $10,000 libraries endowmentfund to support the purchase of School of Account-ing materials.

“In addition to the financial support he provides tostudents of his own department, he takes the extrastep by giving to the library because it helps fundthe acquisition of accounting resources,” said GailMoore, senior development director, planned andmajor gifts.

“In times of financial difficulties, this fund helpsmaintain periodicals in accounting that are neededfor research,” said Kintzele. “It is just one way thelibrary can maintain more of the periodicals and

other resources thatfaculty and students maywant to use.”

Under the accountingresearch heading, studentsand faculty can findinformation in the areas ofassociations and organiza-tions, securities reports,corporate annual reports,

regulation and standards, and taxation.

“One of the nicest things about the library is that ithas a terrific atmosphere and positive environment,”said Kintzele. “The physical facilities and staffservice make it a good experience to be there.”

School of Accounting Professor Philip Kintzele has established a University Librariesendowment to bolster accounting resources.

7

CMU-sponsored conferencesets standard for off-campus servicesby LISA SOMMER

Librarians from around the world will converge inArizona this spring for a conference sponsored byCentral Michigan University.

The 11th biennial Off-Campus Library Services(OCLS) conference will be held May 5 to 7 at theCarefree Conference Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.

First held in 1982, the conference addresses theunique concerns of librarians who work withextended learning students. OCLS sponsors theconference in partnership with CMU’s College ofExtended Learning, which is widely recognized asan international leader in the field of distanceeducation.

“The 2004 conference will provide an opportunityfor librarians and library administrators to network,exchange information, find solutions to problems,and grow profes-sionally in a friendlyatmosphere,” saidConnie Hildebrand,conferencecoordinator for thelast eight years. Thisyear’s conferencewill focus on needsassessments,student services,support services,administration ofprograms, andcollaboration.

Conference features keynote,academic papers

Approximately 300 librarians attend each confer-ence to learn and educate others about libraryservices to off-campus students.

More than 10 OCLS staff members work togetheron planning and directing the conference. Leader-

ship of the Libraries and the College of ExtendedLearning, as well as Thomas Storch, executive vicepresident/provost, have been invited to welcome theattendees and introduce the speaker. Libraries’ staffmembers Anne Marie Casey and Ryan Laus, togetherwith CEL staff member Lana Ivanitskaya, will presenta paper.

In his speech entitled Copyright as an Instrument ofCensorship, keynote speaker Siva Vaidhyanathan willaddress fair use and copyright laws and how librariesare affected.

Vaidhyanathan, an assistant professor of culture andcommunication at New York University, is a culturalhistorian and media scholar. His most recent booksare Copyrights and Copywrongs: The Rise ofIntellectual Property and How it Threatens Creativity(2001) and The Anarchist of the Library: How Peer-

to-Peer Networksare TransformingPolitics, Cultureand Information(2003).

There will be 38academic paperspresented at thisyear’s confer-ence. Presentersare selectedthrough aprogram advisoryboard that

evaluates the presentation proposals. The committeeconsists of individuals who are knowledgeable in thefield and have attended the conference at least once.

The conference is held in different regions of theUnited States to reach a wider audience. Librarianscome from as far away as Canada, England, SouthAfrica, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, and Australia.

Central Michigan University’sOff Campus Library Servicesand the College of ExtendedLearning are working well inadvance to plan and direct thisyear’s national conference inArizona.

Federal depository program providesaccess to government documents

8

As a designated Federal Depository Library (FDL),the University Libraries offers a huge collection offederal and state documents and resources.

The Federal Depository Library Program providesfree local access to government publications ofpublic interest and educational value from all threebranches of the federal and local governments.

The University Libraries have been designated bythe U.S. Congress as a selective depository since1958. This designation allows Park Library to reviewand update its collection annually with the kinds ofmaterial that best serve the needs of the district.Based on these findings, the library today containsespecially significant collections in the areas offarming, oil, natural gas, and the Bureau of IndianAffairs.

Half a million documents

The library receives approximately 50 percent of allfederal publications. The CMU collection consists ofmore than 500,000 documents, or roughly one-thirdof the library’s total collection.

CMU’s Federal Depository Program includes:

• Monthly catalogs of U.S. government publications– print, microfiche, and electronic versions from1774 to the present

• The Congressional Universe database

• The Statistical Universe database

• The U.S. government periodicals index database

“When you read the verbatim account of congres-sional hearings, you understand what they werethinking when they wrote documents like theDeclaration of Independence and the Constitution,”said David Shirley, documents librarian.

The collection also includes major sets of federallegal documents, such as the code of federalregulations, federal register, U.S. code and anno-tated code, U.S. reports, and U.S. statutes-at-large.

“The congressional hearings on the Pearl Harborattack, Vietnam, the Enron and Watergate scandals,the McCarthy hearings, and the JFK assassinationall are available in verbatim,” said Shirley.

by JOSH TILLEY

Maps of all kinds

The library also holds an extensive map collectioncontaining nearly 60,000 items provided by the U.S.Geological Survey, Central Intelligence Agency, U.S.Forest Service, National Park Service, and variouscommercial map publishers. The collection includestopographic quadrangle maps for all states, majorcity maps, state road maps, and a variety of subjectmaps except Alaska.

“These maps are a good resource for hikers,regional planners, and zoning commissions,” saidShirley. “The city planners use them, too.”

Many resources on the Web

Park Library’s Web site provides direct links to theresource Web sites of federal and state governments,and state, legislative, and international agenciessuch as FedWorld, Federal Bulletin Board, GPOAccess, StatUSA, American FactFinder, O*Net, andPubMed.

Some designated sites provide information forspecific groups of people. Senior citizen sites offerimportant information about Medicare and SocialSecurity, Web sites for children offer resources forgovernment education, and other sites offer highschool and college students information on careerdevelopment and financial aid.

“All of the links accessed through CMU’s Web sitethat may normally charge an access fee are free,”said Shirley.

Free and accessible

With the exception of reference materials,microformat materials, indexes and periodicals, anyresident of the 4th Congressional District ofMichigan may check out government documents.Government documents not in the CMU collectionare available on line or through the Interlibrary LoanOffice by calling (989) 774-3022.

The government documents collection can beaccessed during all hours the library is open. Freeaccess to the collection is guaranteed by Title 44 ofthe United States Code and by Michigan Public ActNo. 367 of 1976.

9

Art by former CMU students, creative artifacts, andSouth African prints are a few of the items that willhighlight the Charles V. Park Library’s lineup of BaberRoom exhibits during the 2004 spring semester.

New Year openswith Beaver Island exhibit

Beaver Island: A Retrospective, which is on exhibitfrom Jan. 12 to Feb. 27, features artwork createdby former students as part of the annual summerart program at the CMU Biological Station onBeaver Island.

The exhibit showcases artwork from a variety ofmedia, including handmade paper, watercolor,ceramics, photography, and fibers.

Next spring showto feature South Africa prints

Opening in March, the Images of Human Rights:South African Prints exhibit will consist of 29 fineart prints created in 1996 by artists commemorat-ing the post-apartheid nation’s Bill of Rights.

Images of Human Rights was designed by artistsrepresenting the nine provinces of South Africa. Theworks were hand printed by master printmaker JanJordaan. Funds generated from the sale ofportfolios benefit human rights education programsfor the youth of South Africa.

“Images of Human Rights is an artistic celebration ofthe testament to the human spirit that endured yearsof struggle for democracy and human rights in ourbeloved country,” said Desmond M. Tutu, archbishopemeritus of South Africa. “The work of the artistsrepresented in this portfolio reflects the complexity,passion, and richness of our rainbow nation.”

The prints are a part of a North American tour inassociation with Michigan State University and anassociation of agencies in South Africa.

Art professorto exhibit medallic artwork

Scheduled for April is an exhibition featuringmedallic artwork by former CMU art professorJames MaloneBeach. He creates new andinnovative medals for everyday heroism.

“I think we do heroic things everyday,” saidMaloneBeach. “Sometimes even going to work on aMonday morning is heroic.“

Baber Room houses library exhibitsby JOSH TILLEY

MaloneBeach currently teaches art at Big RapidsHigh School, where he is recognized as an exemplaryinstructor who can challenge and motivate studentsto create work that is accepted into national shows.

Examples of MaloneBeach’s work can be found inexhibits in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota,New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, London, theNetherlands, Finland, and Hungary. He was the firstAmerican to receive the Federation International dela Medialle exposition award, a Hungarian citation forcreative approach to medallic art with new material.

The library’s Baber Room provides students, faculty,staff, and community members a place to experiencethought-provoking artworks by professionals as wellas a place to read and study.

Permanent collection continues to grow

Art from the permanent collection of CMU’s ParkLibrary was on display from Nov. 12 through Jan. 8in the library’s Baber Room. The permanent collectionincludes paintings, prints, drawings, watercolors, andphotographs from a variety of artists.

Some of the pieces on display were new acquisitionsfrom distinguished art shows, such as the AlmaCollege Annual Statewide Print Show and the GreaterMichigan Art Exhibition from Arts Midland.

Baber Room hours are 7:50 a.m. to midnight Mondaysthrough Thursdays, 7:50 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m.to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to midnight Sundays.

Margie Erlandson, a CMU graduate art student, hangs one of the university’s permanent collectionworks in the Baber Room. Erlandson and University Art Gallery curators work together to build theuniversity’s permanent collection, which was on display in the Baber Room through early January.Also on display recently (below) were works from Myth-Maker: The Artist as Storyteller, a MichiganStory Festival collection of art works exploring the different voices of Michigan artists.

by LISA SOMMER

10

CMU’s Park Library received an unexpected phonecall in November 2002. The library was thrilled tolearn it would be receiving a gift of music CDs fromthe Phillip Snett family.

Snett, now deceased, was a professor in the CMUpsychology department from 1973 until hisretirement in 1999.

Included in his estate was a large collection of morethan 2,000 classical, opera, and era-focused CDs,including many works by Mozart and Beethoven.

Greg and David Snett, sons of Phillip Snett, decidedto bestow the CD collection to the Central MichiganUniversity Libraries to enrich the lives of manystudents that have the same passion for classicalmusic.

Park Library receives gift of music CDs

“They felt it would please their father to know CMUstudents will appreciate and enjoy his collection foryears to come,” said Pamela Grudzien, head ofcollection development.

Library staff cataloging collection

The CDs are now in the Music Resource Center ofthe School of Music. Dedicated workers at thelibrary have been cataloging the CDs since thesummer of 2003.

“The process is time consuming, but exciting for usto do,” said Vicki Swarthout, specialist clerk ofmonographs. “It has been an educational processwhen trying to find the exact source of a CD.”

Phillip Snett

CMU student Megan Sullivan researched the bibliographic records of CDs donated to UniversityLibraries before they were catalogued for library records.

11

Continued from page 1

This is the largest musical collection gift the libraryhas ever received. The gift is particularly uniquebecause the library typically does not see such avariety in a donation, said Swarthout.

The cataloguing process is simple. Megan Sullivan,a student employee, researches the exact biblio-graphic record of each CD through World Cap, anonline database. After the bibliographic record isfound, Swarthout finds the bibliographic recordthrough the Library of Congress and downloads it tothe CMU Libraries’ catalog for student use.The CD then goes back to Sullivan to beprocessed to include a barcode and disknumber before it is sent to the MusicResource Center.

Sullivan and Swarthout have beendedicated to this process for morethan six months. Although they muststill attend to the ordered CDs thatmust be catalogued, their processof cataloguing the CD gift isalmost complete.

“When the CDs first arrived, wewere faced with four or fivecarts piled with CDs,” saidSwarthout. “Now we have onecart left that is slowlydiminishing.”

“This course offers students thechance to understand how the libraryfunctions, in turn making it a lot easierto conduct accurate research,” he said.

CMU’s libraries describe an informa-tion literate person as someone whopossesses the abilities to create afocused research topic, recognize aneed for research assistance, create asearch strategy, and revise, locate,and evaluate the information.

Students also learn how to citecorrectly sources of information and tounderstand the ethical and culturalconsiderations of information use.

“This research and understanding ofhow the library functions can helpstudents write papers and avoidplagiarism in all of their classes,” saidLorenzen.

Tapping technologyresources

The latest technology available tostudents includes the most recentdatabases and other referencesoftware, high-end computers, andprojectors. Conducting research onthe World Wide Web also is a toppriority during the interactive course.

“Our students are taught how to goout and evaluate different Web sitesalong with how to find accurateinformation with credible sources,”said Lorenzen. “The class is veryinteractive, with each student workingat his or her own computer station.”

The course was first offered morethan 30 years ago and has been asuccess since its beginnings. It isoffered to all undergraduate students.

“More than anything, this course isdesigned to teach students how tothink,” said Lorenzen.

Library 197

University LibrariesPark Library 407Mount Pleasant, MI 48859

Non-profit OrganizatonU.S. Postage

PAIDMount Pleasant, MI 48859

Permit No. 93

The University Libraries’ subject bibliographersjuggle a multitude of responsibilities. They serve asliaisons to specific academic departments, ordermaterials for the library on specialized subjects,participate in occasional special projects, and more.

“Generally speaking, these bibliographers haveexpertise in the subjects assigned to them,” saidPamela Grudzien, head of collection development atthe library. “In addition to a master’s degree inlibrary science, most of the bibliographers have asubject master’s degree as well. The bibliographerskeep up-to-date on the literature of their subjectareas and attend conferences and programs so theyare informed on the related issues and trends.”

Working with their assigned academic department,bibliographers are responsible for requestingmaterials such as books, DVDs, videos, musicscores, and electronic resources for the library’scollection. Bibliographers select the materialkeeping in mind the programs and degrees offeredby the related departments on campus, the level ofuse by undergraduate students for those areas ofthe collection, and the amount of researchcompleted by graduate students and faculty.

Prioritizing subscriptions

The subject bibliographers, in conjunction with thedepartment faculty, assisted the university inimplementing budget cuts last year. This was verydifficult. Their review of subscriptions had at leastone positive outcome, even though it resulted inreducing the number of subscriptions from 4,300 toaround 3,600.

Subject bibliographers keep library resources currentby SHAVONNE SINGLETON

“For twelve years our collection budget grew, whichmade choices about purchases easier. This projectstrengthened the communication between manybibliographers and their departments because itrequired a careful evaluation of the current andfuture needs of the curricula and programs,”Grudzien said. “The result was that the serialscollection reflects the highest priorities for the facultyto support their curricula, even though we havefewer subscriptions.”

Department liaisons

As liaisons of their specific departments, thebibliographers work to establish good communicationchannels with the department chairs and facultymembers and attend department meetings todiscuss library issues or news.

“The most important thing is the relationship thatdevelops between the bibliographers and the facultyand departments,” said Grudzien. “The morecommunication that goes on between them thebetter the bibliographers are able to select appropriatematerial for the subject areas.”

The University Libraries has 13 subject bibliographerswho are members of three library departments.