USU is making changes to the Library

This archived article was written by: Shadayah Jones

Shadayah Jones
staff writer
[email protected]
Right in the middle of campus is a white building with walls of cement. It is old and probably has been on campus since the 70’s. Do you know what building it is? That’s right, it is the USU-Eastern Library. For all of the new freshmen, it is just another building, but for the returning students, the library is practically new.
Lori Brassaw, head librarian at the USU campus, has been working hard and making many additions to the library. For example, 40 new Dell PC computers running Office 2011 were added to the library on the main floor and in the student-instruction classroom. Also four PC Computers were added to the second floor, digital signage monitors installed on each floor, two additional card catalog computer terminals added along with a color printer, plus a scanner was added and an updated microfilm machine is available to scan and send articles via email.
With the additional equipment, there are also additions to the facilities. Such as, a new teaching classroom, complete with overhead projector, viewing screen, teaching lectern and 20 new computers. The entire library interior has been repainted and carpeted. There has been many upgrades in many rooms on the first floor, an additional study room added for student group study use, whiteboards installed in all study rooms, 10 upholstered large chairs added for student comfort while studying, wiring upgrades throughout the library, drinking fountains repaired, floor computers rearranged to provide for student privacy and comfort, and finally additional floor space added for student use.
Along with the new changes, are new hours. The new hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 10p.m. The library is open Saturday from noon until five p.m. and Sunday from 2 until 10 p.m. The hours where extended because of student and faculty requests. When the students registered this year, there was $3.50 added to their student fees. One hundred percent of that money went to funding for the extra hours.
There are many resources available at the library that most students are not aware of. First there are is Brassaw and her staff that are always willing to help with any questions students many have. Also there are 200 databases available and over 400 thousand electronic books that are accessible 24/7. In additional to the databases, there are 47,000 print and electronic serial titles which include newspapers, popular magazines, scholarly journals, government periodicals, and trade publications in print and electronic format as well as reference materials
With the USU merge last year there is “e-mail a librarian” available. This new addition lets students e-mail a librarian at the Logan campus any question that they have. Once a question is e-mailed a professional librarian at main campus will help students find books that can answer their question. Something else that is available is students are able to have the call number of a book text to their phone so they will have it when they go to the library.
There are several changes that are happening at the campus library this year. Brassaw and her staff are data driven. Every 30 minutes, whoever is on duty counts the number of individuals that are using the library. By doing this, Brassaw and her staff are getting numbers that will help them know how they need to improve the library for the students. Also people in the community are still able to use the library, but in order to do this, they need to purchase an admissions card. “By doing this, we have really cut down on the noise,” Brassaw says.
She would like to create a fun environment that is social, but still study driven.Brassaw recently went to the Logan campus for a meeting and when she entered the library on main campus, she was shocked. It was 10 p.m. at night and the library was packed. Every computer was being used and every study room was occupied. “It was a fun place to gather as friends and very social, but the remarkable thing is they were studying too. It was very self-organized.”
Brassaw is planning on continuing to make changes to the library. She is hoping to get more information out to the students about what is available at the library. “I wish students would come here before going to Google to get information” Brassaw sasys. She would like all the students to know that it is possible to get together with friends and study while still having fun. She is hoping to create a fun environment in the library so more students will come and get the help they need.
If any students have any recommendations for the library there is a suggestion box now available at the front desk. She is trying to improve the library as much as possible and would really value student’s opinions.