Support Wisconsin Academic Libraries
Strong academic libraries keep us all in a better state! Academic libraries on college and university campuses are key to student achievement. A 2002 Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) study found that 89 percent of U.S. college students used print resources from their campus library and 73 percent used their library’s Web site. The following are just a few of the many reasons why academic libraries are and will continue to be vital educational tools:
- Academic libraries are an essential part of the learning community. If
the classroom is the first stop in the learning experience, the library
is the next destination. It’s the place where students and researchers
go to find books and journal articles, use electronic resources, consult
with librarians, conduct research, write papers, and study.
- Academic libraries also serve an important social purpose, enhancing the
learning environment on campus. They provide group study rooms and space
where students can meet to work on shared projects and to discuss their
classes – the social aspect of learning.
- Academic libraries connect students – and all state residents –
with a world of knowledge. Today’s academic libraries put information
from around the world at your fingertips using traditional materials and
archives, as well as extensive online resources.
- Academic libraries are investing in the future, while preserving the past. This includes collecting and preserving print, multi-media, and electronic resources to ensure their availability for research and to support advanced learning. Academic libraries are also home to the latest books and journals, as well as historical archives and records. In a way, they serve a both a gateway to our cultural heritage and a place where scholars and others come to imagine our future.