Cornell U.: "Collections, Access Key to Library's Future"
From Ezra (Cornell’s Quarterly Magazine) by Gwen Glazer:
Faculty members, as well as students and staff, are using Cornell’s library more than ever. In 2011, the library posted its highest-ever use statistics: Physical facilities saw more than 4 million visits and digital resources were accessed more than 7 million times.
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“In the digital age, libraries maintain a tricky balance. It’s not only determining what people need, it’s also figuring out what format – and it doesn’t always follow the traditional lines drawn by disciplines. Historians need databases; biologists need books,” says Anne Kenney, the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian. “The idea of collections goes beyond physical ‘stuff,’ and it really speaks to the deepest needs of the people who use the library.”
More than half of collections funding goes toward online materials, and the library is embarking on a $15 million campaign to raise funds for the collections that faculty members need not only for research, but for teaching as well.
Read the Complete Article
See Also: “Cornell Library Collections Lag Behind Peers’, Professors Say”
Filed under: Academic Libraries, Funding, Libraries
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.