iuPont'Ball Lihr
STETSON
NEWSLETTER Spring 2005
Message from the Library Director
This issue of our spring Library Newsletter is
later than usual, and exams have just begun.
As I write my column, the Library is packed. In
the Congressional Reading Room on the ground
floor, all three large study tables are occupied by
students studying quietly together.
For the past several weeks, every computer has
been in use, many with students completing
their research assignments while others are still
doing last minute work. Our librarians and staff
are busy assisting students who sometimes
failed to plan ahead but are so appreciative of
our help.
The Library recently started several new
initiatives, in addition to hosting the Frankenstein
Exhibit. We assumed the responsibility for
creating and maintaining a web page listing all
available University student awards (more than
100). We also awarded our first Research Prize,
described elsewhere in the Newsletter. At the
request of the Student Government Association,
and working with the Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences, we developed a plan to start
collecting digital copies of senior research
projects, making this research available on the
web and adding records to our Library Catalog,
WebCat.
In the past four months, almost 10,000 items
were checked out and almost half of those are
still checked out as exams start. At the same
time, students are using the electronic
databases as well. Libraries today provide
much more information than ever, and librarians'
major responsibilities are to evaluate, collect,
and organize this information and to assist
students in learning how to evaluate and use
information now in their research and later in
their careers and lives.
It is clear that our students regard the physical
library as the place to go for study and
information. It is a great time to be an academic
librarian.
Betty D. Johnson, Library Director
duPont-Ball Library Research Prize
After seeing other academic departments offer
prizes to upperclass students for their research,
Library faculty and staff decided we should
honor the best research in a freshman English
paper. The Evans C. Johnson Research Prize
is new this year and is funded by the family of
long-time History Professor Evans Johnson. It
will be awarded by the Library each spring to a
student whose EH 121 research paper from the
previous calendar year shows the most
