I often encounter faculty members, researchers, and others who lament the fact that they rarely visit the library in person anymore, even though they are frequent users of our services and resources. There are lots of good reasons for this: schedules are crowded, offices are distant, or the weather is inclement. The most important explanation, of course, is that we’ve done such a good job of bringing the library to our users through licensed electronic journals and databases that users can find almost anything online. So is the library empty and deserted? Not at all!
The library is still a hub of activity. In 2006-07, the number of persons physically entering HSLS libraries rose to 512,236, up 9% from the previous year’s total of 469,996. We circulated 35,077 books. Librarians and information specialists taught 596 education sessions, attended by 8,216 people.
Students, post-docs, residents, and even a few faculty members and attending physicians spread out study materials on open tables or isolated carrels for a few hours of uninterrupted quiet time. They bring their own laptop to connect to the wireless network, borrow one of ours, or use other advanced technology in HSLS library computing facilities.
The group study rooms in Falk Library continue as popular meeting areas. Each of these four rooms is equipped with a large wall-mounted display monitor to use with personal or library laptop computers. From May 2007 to May 2008, there were a total of 1,781 bookings, and 5,745 hours of use.
We continue to review space usage in each HSLS library. Books that have not circulated and older journals are being removed to storage. Articles from journals in storage can be delivered to users electronically within one working day, and books can be sent to any library within the same time period.
In the coming year, Falk Library’s Rare Book Room will be renovated with new climate controls and lighting to protect these fragile materials from deterioration. In UPMC Shadyside’s library, a new conference room will be constructed for library instruction and use by other hospital groups. Planning for general upgrades in WPIC Library will begin shortly. Finally, we look forward to moving the Children’s Hospital Libraries into the new hospital under construction in Lawrenceville.
So come visit us and spend some time in an HSLS library – you won’t be lonely!