SEPTEMBER 17, 1998-vol30n14: New computer workstations popular with students

VOLUME 30, NUMBER 4 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1998

New computer workstations popular with students

By MARA McGINNIS
News Services Editorial Assistant

Since the first day of classes, UB students this semester have been taking advantage of the more than 150 state-of-the-art computer workstations in four new public computing sites in the Undergraduate (UGL), Science and Engineering (SEL), and Lockwood libraries on the North Campus.

The sites, which are designed for individual and group study, are located in remodeled areas on the third-floor atrium and second-floor north area in Lockwood, the south end of the third floor in the SEL and the first-floor south area of the UGL. The second floor Lockwood site is an extended hours location open until 2 a.m. during the week while the first-floor south area in the UGL is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Thursday. All sites are open during the library's regular hours.

In October, about 60 open ports for laptops also will be available at the sites.

"I'm very excited about the new areas that have opened this fall and the opportunity we have had to collaborate with Computing and Information Technology, University Facilities and University Services to provide access to computing resources and library information via these sites," said Barbara von Wahlde, associate vice president for University Libraries.

"Students are thrilled by the new sites," said Judith Adams-Volpe, director of Lockwood Library. "The powerful computers with the new furniture, carpeting, lighting and painting create vibrant, attractive and engaging atmospheres."

Adams-Volpe added that the libraries have become even more central to students and faculty members for access to information in all formats. "These new computing sites reinvigorate the libraries as partners in the curriculum....The sites are places where students work and study together, develop projects and share skills and discoveries using a resource that integrates technology and information."

According to Karen Senglaup, director of access services for the libraries, the sites are used extensively, especially in the late and overnight hours. "The only time there is a lull (in the 24-hour site) is between 4 and 5 a.m.," noted Senglaup. On the first day of classes, she said, all computers in the new sites were in use by 9:30 a.m.

Margaret Wells, director of the UGL, explained that the extended hours recognize the busy schedules and diverse study styles of students who often have jobs and other obligations that may keep them from using computer and library resources during normal hours.

The libraries also have implemented a convenient new electronic resource by posting course reserve materials on the World Wide Web, enabling students to print them out from computer workstations on and off campus.

In addition to instructional and technical support available at each public-computing library site, a new centralized Library Help Center located in the UGL provides professional one-on-one, on-site assistance for users. The center also runs about 20 workshops each week on such topics as e-mail, surfing the World Wide Web, creating home-pages, word processing and using Buffalo Information System ONline (BISON), the Web-based system of the University Libraries' holdings. The workshops are free and open to all UB students, faculty and staff.

Wells, who oversees the functions of the Library Help Center, said the center enhances UGL's role as a teaching library and adds a "human touch" in these new high-tech environments by providing students with personalized instruction. The Library Help Center accommodates a broad range of students, from those with little or no experience to experienced users, she said, pointing out that making computers available within the libraries offers students easier access to assistance using BISON and other resources. "BISON offers students access to an unprecedented selection of research, including full-text articles from magazines, newspapers and journals," she said.

For a virtual look at the new library computing sites, go to <http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/sel/temp/computers.html>. For information on workshops, visit the new Library Help Center Web site located at <http://ublib.buffalo. edu/libraries/units/ugl/help>. A contest is under way to name the sites. To enter, go to <http://wings.buffalo.edu/naming-contest>.