I write to respond to a Sept. 7 Eagle editorial regarding the library. Of particular concern is the statement: "The new improvements to Bender Library are much appreciated, but the library is still known as one of AU's biggest weaknesses."
Student input is extremely important to library planning, and I commend AU students for advocating for the library. We pay attention to student initiatives, and your comments help make this library a stronger resource.
The University administration and library personnel continually strive to strengthen the collections, increase access to electronic resources and improve the facility. Students can be proud of their library, and we challenge those who think otherwise to come to the library and let us help you find what you need. Bender Library's reputation for being "weak" has outlived reality.
Among other things, student voices have been responsible for:
-Increases in the book budget for the library.
-Upgraded computing capability in Anderson Computing Complex and increased public computers with word processing capabilities in the library.
-Additional group study space on the second and third floors of the library.
-Extending hours to 2 a.m. (In the mid 1990s, as a result of consistent and deliberate student requests, Bender Library opened its doors more hours than any other library in the Washington Research Library Consortium).
-24-hour access to Anderson Computing Complex during the academic term.
-Allowing drinks in spill-proof cups in the library.
-New furniture, new carpeting, fresh paint and reconfigured seating to optimize study space.
-Installation of 116 dataports and 212 electrical outlets, creating a better study environment (The library is now the best place on campus to use a laptop if you need to plug in).
Additionally, we expanded the stacks to accommodate the 20,000 new books added to the collection each year. Interestingly, during the 2003-2004 academic year, more books were checked out of the library by faculty and students from the other seven universities in the WRLC than from any other WRLC-member library. More than 100 databases are available on your computers through the ALADIN web site.
It's interesting to note that any time we improve the facility, we receive inquiries from people who are concerned that these improvements are coming at the expense of adding new books to the collection. I want to emphasize that improvements to the facility come out of a completely separate budget and do not affect book purchases. In fact, the book budget is augmented each year by generous financial donations from parents, alumni, faculty, students, neighbors and friends.
If you haven't been inside the library this year, I encourage you to stop by, use the library and make your own assessment. If you come to the library and can't find the resource you need, please go to the reference desk and solicit assistance.
Bender Library welcomes your feedback. So if there is something you would like to see changed about the library, make your voice heard. I encourage you to use our suggestion box located in the foyer of the library, call x3232, e-mail librarymail@american.edu, or notify your Student Confederation president or Graduate Leadership Council chair. You speak, we listen.
Patricia A. Wand is a university librarian.
