INTRODUCTION

               Librarians and library staff at the Drain-Jordan Library play an important part in encouraging and educating young men and women in pursuing their goal of higher education.   For many students and faculty, the Library has become a regular part of their life during their stay at West Virginia State University.   During 2004-2005, more than 117,740 users visited the Library.   In addition to checking out books and other library materials, they conducted 160,225 online searches as compared to 131,399 searches in 2003-2004.   Another highlight of the year was a successful visit of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to the campus in April 2005.   Dr. Benjamin Young, a member of the team, visited the Library and had a productive meeting with the Director of the Library to discuss library services and the Director’s Report prepared for the Accreditation Team. (Appendix I)

               Director of the Library, R.N. Sharma, was named Academic/Research Librarian of the Year for 2005, by the Association of College and Research Libraries/American Library Association. (Appendix II).   It is the first time in the history of the Association that a library director from the historically black college and universities, and an Asian/American, has won the highest honor of the association.

               A new security system was installed in the Library with the help of Administrative Services and funds from the Fine Money Account.   New furniture was added to the Reference and Periodicals Departments, and two rows of new stacks were added to the Reference area to accommodate the growing collection.   All the new items were purchased with money from the Library Fine Account.   A new computer was bought for Julia Russell, Administrative Secretary Senior to the Director of Library, courtesy of Fiscal Affairs.

APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS

• Shonnette Koontz, Accounting Assistant II, was promoted to the position of Accountant, in the Drain-Jordan Library, effective August 1, 2005.
• Tammy K. Naylor, Library Technical Assistant I in the Circulation Department, was transferred to the Cataloging Department, and was promoted to Library Technical Assistant II.

HIGHLIGHTS OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

PUBLIC SERVICES

ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

               According to the annual report of Archives, both the Archivist and the Library Technical Assistant II (LTA II), worked at the Reference and Circulation desk respectively for many hours during 2004-2005, due to the staff shortage in the Library.   In addition, Janice Young, LTA II, worked in the Office of Academic Affairs every week on a regular basis.

               The major accomplishments of the year include:    

• college documents - collection updated,
• research for the "1890 Libraries Integrated Virtual Environment Program," through Alcom University,
• research for a joint exhibit for the West Virginia Division of Culture and History entitled "West Virginia State University - Excellence in Leadership,"
• research of African Air Pilots for Senator Jay Rockefeller,
• research on Land-Grant Status of West Virginia State University,
• research of African Jazz Musicians associated with West Virginia University,
• eight exhibits were prepared for the display cases housed in the main lobby of the Library, including exhibits on "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The View of History"; "Eleanor Roosevelt: West Virginia Memories"; and Samuel Cabell and the Beginnings of Institute: A Documentary History.

               Two hundred fifty-two (252) scholars visited the Archives during the year. In addition, there were 75 phone inquiries and 147 e-mail messages and letters from all over the country.   A total of 1,400 items were used by patrons for their research in the Archives.   Twenty-one (21) linear feet of the material was added to the collection. (Appendix A)

CIRCULATION AND INTERLIBRARY LOAN DEPARTMENT

               The Circulation Department like the Reference Department is one of the busiest places in the Library.   During the year 2004-2005, students and faculty checked out 7,935 books, as compared to 6,857 books checked out in 2003-2004.   In addition, 3,454 books were used in the Library.   As mentioned earlier in the report, the gate count for 2004-2005 was 117,740, a decrease by 3,259 patrons.

               Seven-hundred thirteen (713) items were put on reserve by the faculty for their students for various courses.   All items including books, articles, cassette tapes and VHS tapes were used 1,479 times by students and faculty.   According to the Circulation Department Report, 119 books and 13 articles were sent to other libraries on interlibrary loan.   Two-hundred thirty-nine (239) articles, 160 books, and four films were borrowed by the library on interlibrary loan for West Virginia State University students and faculty.   Three-hundred fifty-six (356) faculty members requested materials, on interlibrary loan, from other libraries as compared to 299 students. (Appendix B)

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION CENTER (IMC)

               Twenty-two classes taught by Education faculty met in the Instructional Materials Center Library during 2004-2005.   It was an excellent move by the faculty to introduce students to the material housed in IMC and the Library.   During the summer of 2004, a Children’s Literature Class also met in the IMC for six weeks.   According to the annual report submitted by Nancy Sims, 250 new items were added to the IMC collection.   An AccuCut machine and twelve dies were donated to the special collection by Dr. Charles Ledbetter, a faculty member from the Department of Education.   A set of reading books currently published by the Houghton Mifflin Publishers and used in schools all over Kanawha County, was donated by Dr. Robert Harrison, Chair of the Education Department, and a book truck was also donated by the Department of Education to the Library.

               A project to catalog picture files has started and is accessible through the Library online catalog.   It will help patrons to find the information about pictures quickly for their research needs.

                Eight-four (84) new signs were created by IMC and posted all over the Library for the benefit of all patrons.   During weekdays from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., 1,874 students used the IMC Library.   Due to the shortage of staff, the evening and weekend hours are not covered by staff members.   One thousand and forty-nine (1,049) items were checked out from the collection and 1,466 were used in the Library.   Mrs. Sims answered 868 questions.   The production lab was used 984 times by students and faculty. (Appendix C)

PERIODICALS DEPARTMENT

               For the first time, the West Virginia Legislature paid subscriptions for many electronic databases for all libraries of the State of West Virginia.   It helped the Drain-Jordan Library to add ten additional databases within the EBSCO collection to students, faculty, and other users during 2004-2005.   A total of 160,225 searches were conducted on all databases as compared to 131,399 during 2003-2004.   The Library at present subscribes to 48,042 online periodicals titles through databases including 16,432 full-text titles, and 31,610 abstracted titles.

               Eighty Government Document Journals were moved to the Reference and Government Documents area from the Periodicals Department.   It will help students, faculty, and other users to find both government documents and journals published by the Federal Government at the same location.

               A new project to put ‘year’ labels on all periodical boxes was completed to make periodical searching easy.   New signs reflecting the name change from college to university were prepared and posted in the periodicals area.   The project to put all periodicals on the “Virtua” is progressing well.   One hundred three (103) new journal titles were cataloged by Nancy McClanahan into Virtua, bringing the total to 703 titles.

               The Library subscribes to 300 current journals, newspapers and indexes on paper.   In addition, the Library subscribes to 130 periodical titles on microfilm.   Thus, the total paper subscriptions for periodicals and newspapers for the Drain-Jordan Library at present stands at 430. (Appendix D)

REFERENCE AND GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS DEPARTMENT

              Reference librarians play a very important part in the research needs of students and faculty. Mission of the department is to assist and instruct all patrons in the use of all print and electronic resources. Two rows of new stacks were added to the Reference area to accommodate new reference books, government publications and journals published by the Federal Government. According to the report submitted by Mr. Addul Aden, the Library Reference Collection of legal resources is impressive. During 2004-2005, 329 new reference books were added to the collection. In addition, 2,350 Government Documents on paper, 174 periodicals, 8,706 microfiche, 380 CD’s, and 23 new maps were received from the Government Printing Office for the growing collection. The Drain-Jordan Library has been a selective depository of all government publications since 1907, and at present, receives 33% of the publications. The Library also provides access to the growing quantity of government information on the Internet.

               During 2004-2005, librarians taught 120 bibliographic instruction classes, as compared to only 78 classes taught in 2003-2004. Reference librarians answered 7,129 questions during the year as compared to 6,719 questions during 2003-2004. (Appendix E)

TECHNICAL SERVICES

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

The details of the Library budget for 2004-2005 are:

• The Library book budget remained at $100,000 for the year 2004-2005. An additional $12,000 were allocated for the new Nursing Program, which was introduced in August 2005 at the West Virginia State Community and Technical College.
• Title III, Activity IV - $20,500 was allocated for the Biotechnology Graduate Studies journals. The total expenditure due to higher subscriptions was $25,578.42. Therefore, Dr. Katherine Harper, Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, transferred $5,078.42 from her supply account to the budget to cover the increase.
• Five thousand dollars ($5,000) were allocated for the Media Studies Graduate Programs for journals. Due to the increase in subscription costs, the Library spent $5,174.68 on journals. Therefore, $174.68 was transferred to the account from the database allocations to cover the bills. The transfer of money was approved by Dr. David Wohl, Dean of Arts and Humanities.
• Title III, Activity V - $132,000 were allocated to the Library for the year 2004-2005, as compared to $125,000 for the year 2003-2004. An increase of $7,000 helped to cover the rising prices of books, journal subscriptions, and online databases.
• Fines/Lost Book Account had $27,694.79 in the account, but $26,137.39 were spent on new furniture, security systems, and shelving. As of June 30, 2005, the ending balance in the account was $1,557.40.
• The Copy Fund had $17,742.93 in the account, but had an expenditure of $10,989.98, leaving a balance of $6,752.95 as of June 30, 2005.

                Eighteen-thousand five-hundred dollars ($18,500) were allocated to twenty academic department and the Community and Technical College for new books. A few departments did not use their total allocations. Therefore, money was distributed to other departments who were in need of more books. Only $350.00 were allocated for travel from the General Fund. In addition, $2,000 were allocated from Title III for travel. It helped librarians and staff to attend workshops and conferences. (Appendix F)

CATALOGING DEPARTMENT

              Jean Fisher joined the department as Catalog Librarian on July 1, 2004, and has brought the much needed professionalism to the position. The department has been reorganized for effective use of the space and time. Under her supervision, a formulated list of standing orders has been started. The Cataloging Department has successfully began to integrate electronic resources to the Library’s collection. Two-thousand and sixty-three (2,063) books, videos, DVD’s, and indexes were cataloged during the 2004-2005 academic year, as compared to 1,298 books cataloged in 2003-2004.

               Mr. Richard Weigen, a retired book seller, donated 502 new books to the Library. Many other donations were received by the Library, including 129 books from Mrs. Harrison Ferrell, 106 from Dr. Gail Flint, 128 from Dr. Bruce Flack, and 66 books from Dr. Robert Harrison, and the first edition of Atlas of Palestine by Abu-Sitta, Salman H., (2004), donated by the Palestine Institute, Washington, D.C. In all, 1,008 books, videos, and DVD’s were received as gifts during 2004-2005. (Appendix G) 

SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT

               The Systems Department of the Library has many responsibilities including maintenance of the online catalog, online databases, and all computers in the Library. The Library Web Pages were first created and posted in November 1997 and they have been updated on a regular basis to reflect changes. At present, both the online catalog and periodical databases are web based. The number of computers and its users has increased significantly. But no new computers have been added to the Library for public use since 2002. The department created the Periodicals Holding List in 1998-1999. It has been under constant revision because of subscription changes every year. According to the report submitted by Deborah Wells, Systems Librarian, the Library’s book collection stood at 213,284 on June 30, 2005. (Appendix H)

CAMPUS AND NATIONAL COMMITTEES SERVED

The following librarians and staff of the Drain-Jordan Library served on the campus and national committees during 2004-2005:

Shonnette Koontz - served on the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Commemoration Planning Committee of the West Virginia State University. She was Vice Chair of the Self-Study Coordinator’s Team Visit Resource Room Committee of the University.

Ellen Ressmeyer - served as the Staff Alternate for the University Faculty Senate.

R.N. Sharma - served on the Executive Committee of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) of the American Library Association (ALA). He also served as a member of the Standards and Accreditation Committee of ACRL. Sharma was Chair of the Faculty Senate Library Committee, a member of the International Multi-cultural Affairs Committee, Affirmative Action Committee, and the Budget Advisory Committee of the University.

Deborah Wells - served on the University Faculty Senate and on the Executive Committee of the Senate as Historian. She also served on the Institutional Review Board of the University.

Janice Young - served on the History and Culture Committee and the Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka Committee of the University.

PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS / WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY LIBRARIANS

The following librarians attended professional meetings during 2004-2005:

Abdul Aden - attended the West Virginia Government Documents Round Table Meeting on May 23, 2005 at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. He also attended a database workshop at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, on December 6, 2004, and a meeting of Director’s of Academic Librarians, representing R.N. Sharma, held at West Virginia University Extension, Parkersburg, West Virginia, on July 30, 2004, to discuss the “future plan for satellite campus electronic classes at WVU and highlighted the use of virtual reference service,” in all academic institutions of West Virginia.

Jean Fisher - attended the following meetings and workshops: July 13, 2004 - Map Cataloging Workshop in Charleston, WV; August 30, 2004 and September 1, 2004 - Serials Training Workshop in Charleston, WV; April 7-8, 2005 - Spring Fling, WV Library Association, Flatwoods, WV; June 8, 15, 22, 2005 - OCLC Connexion Client for OCLC Catalogers Workshop (online). She served as the Library’s representative on the General Education Committee of West Virginia State University.

Mary Horn - attended the Grantsmanship Center Workshop from February 14-18, 2005, held at West Virginia State University.

Ellen Ressmeyer - attended the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference at Albany, New York, from April 21-23, 2005.

R.N. Sharma - attended the Annual Conference of the American Library Association held in Chicago, from June 23-29, 2005. He also attended the meeting of the West Virginia Academic Library Directors in Charleston, West Virginia, on June 17, 2005.

Deborah Wells - attended the following workshops: “Introduction to WebCT Workshop” (October 18, 2004); “Using the WebCT Discussions Board Workshop” (November 18, 2004); “using the WebCT Quiz/Survey Tool” (June 9, 2005) held at the WVSU Cole Complex; a grant writing clinic, “PrePlanning and Partnerships” (October 8, 2004) location, WVSU Jones Hall. She also attended several sessions of the networked LTA Workshops hosted by the Teaching, Learning & Technology Group held in the Cole Complex. Ms. Wells was invited during the summer of 2004 and accepted an offer to participate in the first experimental online course/guild for PixelCorps.

             PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS / WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY THE SUPPORT STAFF

Toni Brown - attended a `Cataloging Practices’ Workshop/meeting on October 4, 2004, at Marshall University. On October 27-28, 2004, she attended a Serials Training Workshop at South Charleston Public Library. She attended the Annual Conference of the West Virginia Library Association (WVLA), held at Stonewall Jackson Resort, November 11-12, 2004, and the Spring Fling Conference of WVLA at Flatwoods, WV, on April 7, 2005. An OCLC (online from PALINET) Catalogers Workshop was held on June 8, 15, and 22, 2005 in the Cataloging Department at WVSU. She also attended the Student/Customer Service Training Session on June 21, 2005, at West Virginia State University.

Diana Haberfield - attended the PALINET/OCLC Interlibrary Loan Workshop at the Kanawha County Public Library on April 5, 2005.

Shonnette Koontz - attended the Staples Office Supplies Training Session on April 12, 2005, in the Wilson University Union at WVSU.

J. Carol Machusak - attended Map Cataloging Workshop at Charleston, WV, on July 13, 2004. She also attended the Serials Training Workshop on August 30, and September 1, 2004, Charleston, WV.

Nancy McClanahan - attended Excel and Excel Advanced Seminars in Charleston, West Virginia, April 21-22, 2005.

Tammy Naylor - attended the Student/Customer Service Workshop held at West Virginia State University on June 21, 2005.

Julia Russell - attended Staples Office Supplies Training Session on April 12, 2005, in the Wilson University Union at WVSU. She also attended a Student/Customer Service Training Workshop on June 21, 2005, in the Wilson University Union at WVSU.

Nancy Sims - attended the Fall Book/Read Aloud Festival in Charleston, West Virginia, on October 16-17, 2004. She also attended the Annual Conference of the West Virginia Library Association (WVLA), held at Stonewall Jackson Resort, November 11-12, 2004, and the Spring Fling Conference of WVLA at Flatwoods, West Virginia, on April 7, 2005.

Janice Young - attended a Micro-soft Excel Workshop held at Cole Complex, West Virginia State University, on June 1-2, 2005.

RECOGNITIONS

• Diana Haberfield - received a certificate of appreciation for her services from the Pre-Alumni Club of West Virginia State University on April 14, 2005. She also received a certificate for her Fifteen Years of Service to West Virginia State University on March 17, 2005.

 

• Shonnette Koontz - was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society on May 1, 2005.

 

• Julia Russell - was honored for her Twenty-Five Years Service to the University on March 17, 2005, at the Wilson University Union.

 

• R.N. Sharma - was named the Academic/Reference Librarian of the Year for 2005. He was honored by the Association of College and Research Librarian (ACRL)/American Library Association (ALA) on June 27, 2005, in Chicago, during the Annual Conference of the American Library Association. Many articles were published about his award in local, regional, and national journals and newspapers, including the World Wide Web (www).

 

• Nancy Sims - was recognized for her Ten Years Service to West Virginia State University on March 17, 2005, at the Wilson University Union.

 

• Eugenia Thompson - received recognition for her Ten Years Service to the University at the Employee Service Awards program held at the Wilson University Union on March 17, 2005.

 

• Janice Young - was featured and photographed in the December 2004 issue of the Goldenseal Magazine, published in West Virginia. She also received her Thirty Years Service Award from West Virginia State University on March 17, 2005.

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTIONS

              For over fifteen-years, the Drain-Jordan Library has faced budget and staff shortages. During this period, the Library has certainly made progress in the book collection, introducing technology, including online databases, added new furniture and stacks, and received a few grants. But a lot more needs to be done to upgrade the Library for the benefit of students, faculty, and other users. The problems faced by the Library are not new and they have been mentioned in the past also but very little progress has been made. The institution became a university in 2004 and graduate programs were introduced for the first time in the history of West Virginia State University. It is possible that more graduate programs will be introduced in the near future. Therefore, it is very important and urgent that the budget of the Library be improved for collection development to meet the research needs of all students and faculty. The collection is old and students have brought to the attention of the Director of Library that more new books are needed in many subjects taught at the university. Though new books are added to the collection on a regular basis with the help of the faculty, but the Library needs to add more than 1,276 new books which were added to the collection during 2004-2005. The price of books increases every year from 8 to 12%, where as the book budget for Drain-Jordan Library has remained relatively low and has not increased since 1996.

              The Library has added many new online databases since 1998, with the help from Title III Funds, but the prices have increased every year which has kept the Library wondering. Before the new degree programs are introduced by the university, the Library must develop its collection of books, journals, and databases to help students and faculty to learn, do research and support them in their other library needs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more funding for collection development of library resources.

              The Library is in need of at least two more highly qualified and experienced professional librarians to serve as collection development and reference librarians. These much needed additions will help the Library to develop excellent collection and provide quality reference service to all graduate, undergraduate, and Community and Technical College students. In addition, both circulation and reference departments need at least one clerk each to run the departments smoothly because of the heavy work load.

              In order to keep up to date with the technology, it is important to replace the aging fleet of computers which are more than five years old. Many of them have been rebuilt and may not last for a long time. More computers should be added to the Library to serve the needs of the growing population of students and faculty. The Library also needs a new server for the systems operation because of the changing technology and the new Virtua System introduced by VTLS in 1998. It will cost a minimum of $50,000 to replace the old server.

              Finally, planning must start for a new addition to the Drain-Jordan Library or a new building because the present facility is more than fifty years old. It is overcrowded and there is no room to expand. It was built in 1954 when the enrollment of the institution was only 837 students. An addition was added in 1984 but the enrollment at present is about 5,000 students in all programs. There is an urgent need to add more seats, stacks, create a new area for the expansion of technology, and add group study rooms in the Library to accommodate new types of students and changing times. The present building is not very suitable to the new technology. It is not suitable for all disabled students because the stacks in two tiers are not accessible to the disabled students. We are violating national standards for handicapped students of the University.

CONCLUSION

               The nation is going through a very difficult economic time, but as Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft, told the National Conference of State Legislatures in Seattle on August 17, 2005, “Universities are the engine of change . . . There is almost a perfect correlation between areas with good jobs and universities.” But many state legislatures, including West Virginia’s, have cut the budget for higher education in recent years. “Innovation is the key to survival.” Therefore, new ways have to be found to fully support the Library in this digital age. The President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Deans, faculty and students, have seen the progress in the Library in recent years and have been very supportive of the efforts and hard work of the Director, Librarians, and Library Staff. I am confident that as a good team, all of us will rise to the occasion and make the Drain-Jordan Library the best Library in the region in the near future and meet all challenges of higher education and the Twenty-first Century.

                                                                                                                                 R.N. Sharma, Ph.D.

                                                                                                                                 Director

                                                                                                                                 September 2005