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WKU
Libraries Benefactors Honored
by
Earlene Chelf
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| Pictured
left to right are: Mary Margaret Bell, SHRAB member; Penny
Harrison; Dr. Lowell H. Harrison; and Sue Lynn Stone,
SHRAB member |
Throughout
Western Kentucky University’s five-year fundraising
campaign that ended June 30th, 2003, significant donations
have been received from University Libraries benefactors.
Several of these gifts were for naming of spaces in the Main
Library and the Kentucky Building; others are endowments,
project and program underwriting and cash donations.
During a special recognition program on September 28, 2003
at the Kentucky Building, President Gary Ransdell unveiled
plaques renaming the Kentucky Library Reading Room as the
Harrison & Baird Reading Room, in honor of Penny and Lowell
Harrison and Nancy and Tom Baird. The Kentucky Museum’s
Gallery F (Bicentennial Corner) became the Redford Gallery,
in honor of Audrey and Tom Redford; and the Helm-Cravens Listening
Library was named the Greene Listening Library, for Lila Greene.
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Commemorative
plaques
will hang in each room. |
Others recognized were: Henry Hardin, Ferris Van Meter, John
and Barbara Grider, Dorothy Grider, Beulah Campbell, Beulah
Winchel, Gerald and Peggy Loafman, Linda and Duval Bushong,
Dianne Stuart (for the Stuart Family Foundation), Jane and
Walter Baker (for the Helm Fund), Integra Bank, US Bank, and
Omni Custom Meats.
SOKY
Book Fest Wins 2003 Traverse Award
by
Jayne Pelaski
The
Southern Kentucky Festival of Books (now Southern Kentucky
Book Fest) was awarded First Place for the 2003 Kentucky Tourism
Industry’s Traverse Awards. The Traverse Awards showcase
and honor Kentucky’s outstanding tourism professionals
for their talent, creativity and effectiveness in marketing.
The Book Fest was honored for our “Marketing Campaign.”
The award was given at the Kentucky Tourism Industry Annual
Conference on October 14 in Louisville. Last year, the Book
Fest received Honorable Mention for this same category.
WILLS—Virtual
Reference Library Software
by Bryan Carson
As
more Kentuckians enter college and advance through the system,
extended campuses and distance education are becoming more
popular. Since campus libraries play an increasingly important
role in the educational process, Western Kentucky University
Libraries plans to serve their users with a virtual reference
chat service called WILLS, which stands for Western Interactive
Live Library Services. WILLS allows the delivery of library
services through electronic information technology. People
will be able to access library materials and assistance from
home, work, or wherever they are located, using any computer
with Internet access. The service will be live and interactive,
allowing reference specialists to answer questions in real
time. Operating hours will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday
through Thursday.
Since
information literacy skills account for approximately 50%
of the grade in a course that requires a term paper, access
to adequate library services and resources is essential for
the attainment of superior academic skills, regardless of
location. Students who are familiar with library research
are more likely to be successful in their classes and to return
to complete their degree.
WILLS
allows librarians to help users online by answering questions,
guiding students through Web sites, electronic databases,
and other online resources. As the librarian provides assistance,
the user can see on his or her own computer exactly what the
librarian is doing. Bryan M. Carson, the Coordinator of Reference
and instructional Services, will manage the project using
existing library personnel. This virtual reference services
will help students to be successful in their classes, and
to return to complete their degree, and will also help alumni
users as well.
Although
methods change, library standards of quality endure. WILLS
will more than likely become a major resource to students
and graduates of WKU. This resource is directly related to
the University's goals of increasing student learning, developing
the student body, assuring a high-quality faculty and staff,
enhancing responsiveness to our constituents, and increasing
student retention. This virtual reference service will help
students be successful in their classes and encourage them
to complete their degrees; alumni users will also benefit
from the service.
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