Most buildings on campus haven't survived a fire (1977), an earthquake (2002) or a million visitors in a single academic year (2004-05). In the past 30 years, Bracken Library has been through a few landmark moments, some major renovations and an amazing number of overdue fees, but it has continued to put library users' needs at the top of its priority list.
To remain a useful and used on-campus resource, the library must maintain that focus on student and staff needs when choosing the developments it will make.
Recently, Bracken has added to its services digital camera and laptop rental, additional hours that extend late into the night and student art exhibitions, showing that the library is in touch with what its users want and need out of their library.
Even now, library staffers continue to research how students use library resources - such as following student use of iLockers and jump drives in relation to how much printer paper the library goes through. Not only that, but library users can make suggestions at any time for more resources the library should offer.
Since the library was moved from North Quad to the "new" Bracken building in 1975, its interest in student needs has never waned. However, in the future, library staff might consider installing a coffee shop to make the library a social gathering place as well as a place for work to be done. A service students have been requesting since the library extended its hours to 3 a.m. on weekdays is a library-specific transportation facility that runs throughout campus and University Apartments all hours the library is open.
To help students with increasing textbook costs, Bracken could purchase a number of textbooks that professors assign year after year and offer them to students for semester-long check out. And technologically, the library could make the interior pages of books available and searchable off campus by posting them for viewing on the libraries' Web site.
Bracken has set a high standard for meeting student needs with its 30-year tradition of keeping library users as its highest priority. With continued focus on users' needs, perhaps the library's 60th birthday will be even more cause to celebrate.
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