University Senate Library Committee
Fy 2001-2002 Summary Report

The committee met several times during the academic year.

Budget
Funding for the Library remains considerably less than needed to support the University's current and new educational programs.

There continues to be considerable concern over the need for increased funding for print and electronic subscriptions. Funds were made available by Dr Schnell, so a major subscription cancellation project was averted for another year. The book acquisition budget

 
Programming
The Library received a grant from the American Library Association and National Endowment for the Humanities to host a 6-week series called Presidents Power & Politics. Attendance at the programs was good and the library plans to include similar public programs/events annually.

 
Electronic Reserves
A cooperative grant to the UND and NDSU Libraries was awarded from the State Board of Higher Education. The funds will allow the two libraries to purchase software and equipment needed for improved interlibrary loan and to initiate an electronic reserves module.

 
Flood recovery
The committee was kept abreast of the library flood recovery efforts. The basement renovations were completed and an Open House held for Homecoming. The Center for Writers, Publications Services, Computer Clusters, Newspapers, Maps, Microforms and Library ITS staff were relocated to the basement. The current journals that had been temporarily housed in the front lobby, were relocated to the south-east corner of the first floor in the space vacated by the move of the Publications Services dept. Extensive flood mitigation work outside the building included construction of a flood wall, as well as installation of backflow valves and pumps. The emergency generator will be replaced with a more powerful one in August 2002.

 
BRIN Grant
The NDSU & UND libraries were included in the BRIN grant for biomedical research. This funding will help pay for the licensing of an appropriate full-text database to serve the researchers involved in this project. Access to the databases is expected to begin in early July.

 
Health Sciences Branch
The Health Sciences Library renovation began in early summer with asbestos abatement. The library occupied the space (bare concrete floor & walls) for the fy2001-02 academic year. Completion of the renovation is expected to in August (2002), with new carpet, shelving and furniture. In the meantime, the library is open for service although in rather rough conditions.

 
Periodicals
6,000 full-text periodicals and an extensive number of full-text digital books are now available electronically through the library website to NDSU students, faculty and staff.

Approximately 80% of the periodicals lost to the flood have been replaced in digital, microform or print. Work will continue on locating replacements. A wish list of "needed" periodical volumes posted on the library website will be updated this summer

The bound periodicals are expected to remain off-campus at the Annex. Although that space is not open to the public (students & faculty), a pull service, with twice a day courier pickup, operates to get materials from the Annex to the main library. The lease on the Annex expires July 1, 2002.

Institute
The Institute/Archives is still located at the Skills Center (19th Ave N). Because of lack of space, the Institute sometimes closes to the public when large classes or groups visit. Additionally, the facility lacks appropriate environmental controls for the collection. Additional space in the Skills Center or another location was requested to address this situation. As of July that had not happened.