Dear Editor
MWCC Students: Think you're connected? Think again
By: Linda Oldach, Assistant Dean, Library and Information Services
Issue date: 3/1/10 Section: Letters to the Editor
You've got a cell phone, a computer, and wireless access to the Internet. You even live near Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, the first school library in the nation, public or private, to eliminate print books in favor of e-books
But unless you're connected to the LaChance Library, you may not know what you're missing!
Q. Isn't everything available free on the Web? Why do we need a library?
A. College libraries are an essential part of the learning community. Our collections, developed in conjunction with the faculty, offer the best of all worlds- -print, audio, film and electronic resources. Online journals and other key resources are not free, and the library continually negotiates affordable subscriptions for the college community. The library also provides space where communities come together, or where individuals can study on their own.
Q. Why do we need librarians? Do librarians really need degrees to do this work?
A. Librarians are experts in information management, and hold master's degrees in library and information science. Many hold additional graduate degrees. They collect, organize, and preserve knowledge in print and digital formats. With information overload, librarians provide time-saving guidance to the "best sources" (as defined by the faculty).
Q. Isn't it true students don't use the library anymore?
A. On the contrary, if you include the number of students using the online resources on the library's Web site, our use is higher than ever. These resources are available to students 24 hours a day from any Internet computer, on or off campus. They also can check the library's catalog, or instant message or e-mail questions to a librarian. According to the gate count, over 5000 library users visit the library in person each week. They come to use computers and print resources, get in-person help from the library staff, do quiet study, and work in groups with other students. Sometimes they come just to relax. The library is an important destination for many students.
But unless you're connected to the LaChance Library, you may not know what you're missing!
Q. Isn't everything available free on the Web? Why do we need a library?
A. College libraries are an essential part of the learning community. Our collections, developed in conjunction with the faculty, offer the best of all worlds- -print, audio, film and electronic resources. Online journals and other key resources are not free, and the library continually negotiates affordable subscriptions for the college community. The library also provides space where communities come together, or where individuals can study on their own.
Q. Why do we need librarians? Do librarians really need degrees to do this work?
A. Librarians are experts in information management, and hold master's degrees in library and information science. Many hold additional graduate degrees. They collect, organize, and preserve knowledge in print and digital formats. With information overload, librarians provide time-saving guidance to the "best sources" (as defined by the faculty).
Q. Isn't it true students don't use the library anymore?
A. On the contrary, if you include the number of students using the online resources on the library's Web site, our use is higher than ever. These resources are available to students 24 hours a day from any Internet computer, on or off campus. They also can check the library's catalog, or instant message or e-mail questions to a librarian. According to the gate count, over 5000 library users visit the library in person each week. They come to use computers and print resources, get in-person help from the library staff, do quiet study, and work in groups with other students. Sometimes they come just to relax. The library is an important destination for many students.
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