University of Texas at San Antonio Opens "Bookless Library"
By David Rapp Sep 15, 2010The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) recently announced the official opening of its new Applied Engineering and Technology (AET) Library, which, in a press release, it is calling "the first completely bookless library on a university or college campus."
While that may be a catchy frame, the satellite library provides services similar to those provided at information commons at other libraries.
No printed volumes are stored at the AET Library, and students have access to 425,000 ebooks and 18,000 electronic journal subscriptions on a variety of subjects. Those electronic collections are accessible to students from anywhere on- or off-campus, as well; those at the "bookless library" have a shortcut: they can use the resources without a password.
The space has a capacity of just 80 people, with science and engineering librarians to assist students and faculty. It includes furnished study areas, ten desktop computers, two LCD screens that may used by students for projects and three others that provide news and information, a printer, and a scanner. The library plans to provide preloaded Kindle or iPad ereaders for student checkout "in the next few months."
A new information commons?
UTSA Dean of Libraries Krisellen Maloney told LJ that the AET Library does have similar features to what are commonly called "information commons," such as the one which opened in March 2009 at UTSA's main John Peace Library. However, she said,"The primary difference is that it is a stand-alone, satellite library located in our Applied Engineering and Technology building."
The library had a "soft" opening back in May, allowing students to use the library over the summer. Since its initial opening, according to Maloney, the library has averaged about 1000 student visits per week. The library hasn't yet been able to collect statistics on offsite users accessing the electronic collections.
"Bookless," but with access to books
In July, LJ reported on the Stanford University Engineering Library, which had moved some 98,000 of its print volumes offsite, prompting media outlets such as National Public Radio to label it a "bookless library," despite the fact that about 15,000 print items still remained there. (The head librarian at the Engineering Library, Helen Josephine, told LJ at the time that the library's motto was "less books, not bookless.")
UTSA's newly built AET Library may have a better claim to the title, as it was, in effect, born bookless. The building in which it is housed, the $82.5 million Applied Engineering and Technology Building, was just dedicated in March.
That said, UTSA hasn't completely given up on print. Students at the AET Library still have rapid access to print materials from the university's main library, including that library's longstanding and substantial print science and engineering collection, which includes nearly 200,000 volumes. Books from the main library can be ordered and couriered to the AET Library within two hours, according to UTSA spokesperson Christi Fish.
