New Library Opens on UConn/Stamford Campus

UConn's newest library, a feature of the Downtown Stamford Campus, has been operational since January but, along with the rest of the campus, celebrated its official opening on April 17, 1998 with a formal dedication and a gala ball.

This is an exciting time for the Jeremy Richard Library. For the first time the entire campus is housed in one building, now located in an active downtown area. We are expecting an increase in the number of students, instructors and visitors who make use of our collections and services, including MBA and EMBA students who have been attending classes at a downtown location for several semesters. Business liaison librarian, Shelley Cudiner, has already planned evening Lexis/Nexis classes for UConn business students.

The new campus is completely wired for state-of-the-art computer connectivity. This means that UConn Libraries information resources can be accessed from many locations on campus, including classrooms and computer labs. Even student lounges have connectivity capability. Students can access more than 250 academic research databases through the library server. Library instruction classes can now be taught lecture style from any classroom, and hands-on instruction is offered in the computer labs. Carrels on the library's second-floor study area are also wired for laptop computers.

New or enhanced library services include the use of Ariel technology for interlibrary loan. Ariel equipment allows articles that have been requested for Stamford students and faculty to be scanned and sent from other UConn libraries in the form of files. When printed out, these files produce much clearer text and charts than is possible with the fax machine.

Stamford faculty have begun to take advantage of Electronic Course Reserves, which originate in the Homer-Babbidge Library. Students access reserve materials on campus or at home through,their student computer center. accounts, saving them both time and copying charges. While continuing to support and expand this project, the library will continue to maintain paper reserves of all materials. Faculty will soon be able to use other new document delivery methods, such as intra-campus delivery and the initiation of interlibrary loan services via the web and email. A new interlibrary loan staff member, Nancy Romanello, has created forms and a template so that email notification can be sent to patrons when requested items arrive. Faculty will soon be able to request research assistancethrough the new Downtown Stamford Campus web page being designed by a team of faculty, librarians and administrators.

Uconn/Stamford's newest campus initiative is the Connecticut Information Technology Institute(CITI), a partnership between local corporations and the university to develop information technology skills in the future workforce. New degree programs in computer science and engineering, in business, and in the BGS program will include an information technology component.

The library has recently hired a CITI liasion librarian, Don Gilstrap, who will begin in June. He will develop the computer and technology collections and will serve as liasion to the CITI program, bringing much needed advanced technical skills to the library. Don also has a strong background in library instruction and multi-media and will also work with other departments at the Stamford campus.

We're proud of our handsome new quarters with its improved functionality. We invite all of you, from around the state, to visit us and see UConns 2000's first completed project in Stamford!

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