Connections - An Alumni and Friends Magazine by Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, IN
Parent Council Leads Program to Boost McKenna Library
Last year, Holy Cross College's Parent Council pulled together to help make the College a wireless campus. This year, the Council is working on a technological enhancement for the McKenna Library.
McKenna Library has achieved the following milestones: The McKenna Library is now open 80 hours per week, including Saturdays and a library instruction program has been developed to help students discover all the research capabilities the library can offer. This program provided formal instruction on the proper use of the library to 276 students last year. Since initiating this outreach, there has been a substantial surge in the use of the library by our students, faculty and staff.
The library has also acquired new and more relevant electronic resources. These along with staff instruction enable our students to discriminate between legitimate and unreliable sources of information available on the Internet.
This surge in the library's popularity has some drawbacks. Due to the increase in usage, there has also been a corresponding increase in the utilization of the library's computers. Depending on the time of day, some students have had to wait in line to gain access. Holy Cross College students use the library computers for a myriad of reasons - to do research, work on their term papers, check their e-mail between classes, access eReserves, and register for classes.
Students prefer to do their work in the library where they can count on the guidance and expertise of the library staff and where other library resources are readily available. This extended use makes raising money for the library technology project very important. With donations totaling $9,000 so far, the library has been able to upgrade their services. "The wiring is completed and we are now set up to accommodate two more computers," says Mary Ellen Hegedus, Director of Library Services at the McKenna Library. "With the additional funds, I was able to get several other things done that we really needed."
According to Hegedus, they have also ordered carrel-type computer workstations. "They were more expensive but the privacy a carrel affords will be greatly appreciated by all of the students," she says. "Donations have made all this possible. Also, something I'm sorry to say is that previously none of our workstations were wheelchair accessible. This time I was able to purchase a workstation that will accommodate wheelchairs." In addition, the new computers have been ordered.
I am hoping that more parents will become active in helping with the library's technology enhancement projects. We would love to see 100% participation by all of our parents. The enhancement will help students receive guidance from library staff, and make better use of library resources. Learning how to use information resources effectively and efficiently, will cultivate a lifelong appreciation for libraries. More students will experience the joys of academic excellence and this will help students become self sufficient and discriminating in their quest for truth.
Please invest in your son or daughter's lifetime of learning by joining us in this project!
For more information, Craig Horvath can be reached at 574-239-8368 (office), 574-274-4545 (cell) or by email: chorvath@hcc-nd.edu.
A McKenna Library Bookplate Provides a Lasting Legacy
Commemorate the start of an academic career that will lead to great things!
Why not remember your son's or daughter's freshman year at Holy Cross College by dedicating a book to them in the McKenna Library?
For just $50, you can have a special bookplate placed on a book in our library. It's a wonderful way to honor your student's start at the college, and it will provide the gift of knowledge to thousands of future students for years to come. For more information, or to place your order, call the Development Office at (574) 239-8406.
The Technology Enhancement Project for the McKenna Library was made possible by the leadership of the Holy Cross College Parents' Council. Special thanks to John and Barbara O'Connor, Charles and Jane Ammeson, Robert and Donna Severs, and David Miller for their generous contributions.