Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/119308
> D e a n���s Colum n S e r v i n g s er v i ce Reflecting on a quarter century in the Libraries Reference Point is published biannually by University Libraries. Address questions and suggestions to: Office of the Dean Park Library 407D Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Editorial Board Thomas J. Moore Dean of Libraries Richard Cochran Associate Dean of Libraries Megan Moreno, ���06 Director of Development and Community Outreach Brad Stambaugh Manager, Library Business Services Reference Point Coordinator Production CMU University Communications Writers Melissa Beauchamp, Chelsey Colston, Dan Digmann , Katie Pohlman, Cierra Wallace Editor Dan Digmann Designer Trevor Grabill, ���10 Photographers Robert Barclay, Peggy Brisbane Printing CMU Printing Services Libraries��� website lib.cmich.edu Academic Year Library Hours Mon - Thurs: 7:50 a.m. - Midnight Fri: 7:50 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun: Noon - Midnight Extended Hours Study (Through April 25) Sun: 10 a.m. - 2 a.m. Mon-Thurs: 7 a.m. - 2 a.m. Fri: 7 a.m. - Midnight Sat: 9 a.m. - Midnight In a few months I���ll be completing my 25th year as CMU���s Dean of Libraries. It���s been a continuing privilege and pleasure. Measured by success in fulfilling our primary mission of facilitating Tom M oore access to the best scholarly information resources, and supporting all of the university���s academic programs, we���re more effective now than we were in 1988, when I arrived. Today, as in the rest of society, everything we do is infused with the remarkable benefits and perplexing challenges of technology. Smart Search ��� the centerpiece of our wholly renovated University Library and Global Campus Library Services websites (see p. 10) ��� is the latest in the lineage of evolved library technology applications away from card catalogs and printed indexes and toward truly convenient, direct access for library users to a ceaselessly expanding universe of academic books, journal articles, and multimedia sources. Smart Search is a powerful new aid for learning and research available by clicks to all our clientele on the Mount Pleasant campus as well as throughout the distant reaches of our Global Campus programs. Yet technology is only part of the story, of course. Behind every technology tool we���ve implemented has been the impressive initiative, talent, teamwork, and hard work of our librarians and staff, past and current. And the central standard for weighing the countless implementation issues, small and large, has always been the advantage in service to our CMU student and faculty library users. 2 CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity within its community (see cmich.edu/aaeo). Produced by CMU University Communications and printed by CMU Printing Services. UComm 87689-4,100 (3/13) Over the last couple decades our service platter has clearly gotten bigger ��� blending traditional services such as book access and lending with newer ones such as desktop delivery of digitized journal articles, ���chat��� reference, extensive exhibit and speaker programs, and more ��� but our staff has not. We have about the same number of librarians and staff that we had years ago, and they���re very busy. A particularly gratifying change from the somewhat distant past is the growth of private financial support of the Libraries from CMU alumni and friends and faculty and staff. While our institutional budgets have been essentially static largely because of reductions in state of Michigan funding of the university, gifts and bequests now play a significant role in boosting our ability to purchase technology and equipment, buy costly information resources, and offer public programs. We���re very grateful for the wonderful support we receive. So, unlike some recollections of the past, mine favor the present. With the incomparable Park Library facility, the almost limitless benefits and potential of library technologies, the terrific, if lean, staff focused on the interests and needs of our library users, and the generous support of a necessary and appreciated, and I hope widening, group of donors, we���re indeed very fortunate in library services at Central Michigan University. I hope this good fortune and our high ambitions for serving our clientele show in this issue of Reference Point. Please let us know what you think. Tom Moore Dean of Libraries