Keeping a reference collection current and useful can be an arduous task. It is necessary to establish principles of collection development and determine a method for periodically reviewing the titles in the collection. This review, if systematically conducted on a title‐by‐title basis for all reference sources, can have far‐ranging benefits. Among these are a reduction in the size of the collection in terms of titles, volumes, and linear shelving space; an increase in the manageability of serial and non‐serial titles; a staff more proficient and knowledgeable concerning the scope and depth of the collection; and a clientele better served through improved reference assistance.
As libraries are renovated, retrofitted, or re‐engineered to accom‐ modate robust infrastructures with scaleable Ethernet connectivity, reference personnel must actively help in the design of teaching and learning facilities supportive of technologies that add value and context to the educational experience. In this article, the authors describe the conceptualization, funding mechanisms, and creation of a Student‐centered Electronic Teaching classroom (SET) in a medium‐sized academic library. The SET is viewed as a combination of several elements: electronic classroom, information concourse, and multimedia laboratory. It is designed to foster collaborative learning among students and faculty, while teaching library users specific techniques to increase their information competency abilities.
By moving beyond static Web page development, the Cal Poly Library created new, interactive Web services for students and faculty using the power of Java and the robustness of Oracle databases. As a result, the Library was able to provide campus leadership for the digital teaching environment.
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