UDMessenger

Volume 12, Number 4, 2004


University of Delaware Library

Tradition and technology

One of the campus institutions most affected by the technological explosion over the last 20 years is the University of Delaware Library, which was an early proponent of electronic access and remains in the vanguard of the movement.

"Today, we operate a dual library," Susan Brynteson, May Morris Director of Libraries, says. "We operate a traditional library and an electronic library."

The traditional library retains a great deal of importance with nearly
1 million people per year walking through the doors to make use of printed materials, both books and journals, and study areas.

And, it remains in high demand. "The library is heavily, heavily used by students, especially at night," Brynteson says.

However, the modern electronic library has the advantage of constant, and instant, access. "The electronic library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Brynteson says. "Students are not bound by the hours the doors are open. They can study any time, day or night."

UD entered the electronic arena in 1986 with the creation of the computerized DELCAT card catalog and was the 13th university library in the nation to go on the Internet, "back when that was considered a radical act," Brynteson says.

When alumni return to campus, Brynteson says, they often note that while much about UD has changed, the biggest change academically "is in the library and the way information is accessed."

"What technology has done is created more access to information and eliminated the drudgery," Brynteson says. "Years ago, students had to track down source books and journals by hand, one at a time. Today, you can search an electronic database, find the article you need and click on a link to read it.

"The University Library is totally different," Brynteson says. "It has been exciting to oversee the changes, and the rate of change continues to be very high."

Upon entering the Morris Library, the first thing an alumnus might notice is not what is there but what is missing. Gone are the rows and rows of wooden card catalog tables.

"Today's freshmen have never used a card catalog and don't know what a card catalog is," Brynteson says.

In their place are desktop computer stations on which students can access the new and improved web-based DELCAT catalog, which was unveiled in 2002.

The new DELCAT is based on Ex Libris software, which also was recently installed at the libraries of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, according to Gregg Silvis, assistant director for library computing systems. It includes links to electronic journals and cataloged Internet resources and offers features such as online book renewal and new ways of searching for materials. A renovation of the library's lower level is complete and includes an improved computing site, with 42 PCs and five Apple Macintosh computers.

Wireless access to the UD computing network is available in several areas of the library, including the Reserve Room, the Commons, the Reference Room, the front of the Periodicals Room on the first floor, the Melva B. Guthrie Atrium on the second floor, the third-floor atrium area and the area between the Sussman Room and Instructional Media on the lower level.

The library also provides more than 200 wired locations for laptop connections to the campus network for access by students, faculty and staff.

Brynteson says the library continues to add to its print collection, purchasing more than 40,000 volumes per year in addition to the more than 2.5 million titles on site. The library also has 430,000 government publications, 14,000 videocassettes and films and 3.3 million items in microtext, not to mention thousands of periodicals.

The library spends nearly $2 million per year to secure licenses and provide access to more than 7,000 electronic journals and databases for UD faculty, staff and students.

The University Library's online presence is impressive and the home page can be found at [www.lib.udel.edu/].

There, users can get basic information on hours, policies, staff and access for distance learning users and for users with disabilities. They also can learn about a variety of services, from tracking what books they have checked out to signing up for e-mail alerts when new journal issues and articles of interest arrive.

A very popular service, Brynteson said, is Ask A Librarian, which provides access to reference, special collections and subject librarians. New to the library is AskRef Live, which is an online reference service linking users and library staff.

"A wonderful feature is that we search with you," Brynteson says. "We provide the trail to the answer so you can find it, as well. This is new and innovative, and very exciting."

At the home page, users can also tap the vast array of resources pooled by the library. There are electronic journals and databases that provide access to information across a wide spectrum of subject areas, electronic images and electronic newspapers.

Access is provided to, among other sources, LexisNexis Academic, the Web of Science, the Opposing Views Resource Center and the AccuNet/AP Multimedia Archive.

The University Library maintains an emphasis on primary materials, Brynteson says, with a sterling Special Collections unit that also has a strong online presence. Collections that have been digitized include the postcard collection, featuring postcard images of Delaware cities, towns and places, and Willard Stewart's Works Progress Administration photographs from throughout the state.

Soon, the library plans to offer online access to the Pearl Herlihy Daniels collection of maps. "It is a great collection," Brynteson says, "with maps dating back to the time before Delaware was a state."

All of the library's electronic resources are open to faculty, staff and students. Licensing agreements require some restrictions on access to UD alumni and friends, with the library offering a special link to resources that are available to them.

"This is a quality electronic resource for alumni," Brynteson says, noting that all 15,000 web links offered on the library site are checked regularly by staff to make sure these links are active.

Brynteson says it is hard to predict the future, although she believes some paper journals and reference books will give way completely to electronic versions.

"I don't think the book will disappear," she says. "That will be around for our grandchildren, but I think reference books will disappear, as will the small paper journals."