DONORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Research materials are increasingly moving to digital formats that offer quick and easy full-text access to journal articles and databases. Most people don't realize the expense involved in acquiring and maintaining these paper and online assets. Some examples are:

New collections and materials come into the Special Collections and Archives every month. Each collection requires individual attention by way of organizing, preserving, and indexing papers, photographs, maps, artwork, books, and artifacts to make them available for researchers. An average collection can arrive at the Libraries as 15 boxes containing 60 linear feet of materials. This requires approximately 100 hours of processing by either a full-time archivist or a trained student employee. One graduate student processing this collection for 100 hours costs $8,000.

The STAC provides individual support and instruction to WSU students on a variety of software programs to create web pages, online resumes, PowerPoint presentations, newsletters and other desktop publishing and multimedia projects. These skills learned for class projects and job searches give them an edge for future employment. Costs to maintain and continually upgrade this hardware and software are $15,000 annually.

The libraries reward excellent student employees with a quarterly Library Student Assistant Awards. Since this program began in 1995, 171 awards totaling $71,150 have been presented to 106 students (many are repeat recipients). This program helps the Libraries to recruit and retain valuble students who assist in organizing the libraries' collections and running our services.

The Legacy Book Program began in 2002 as a way for people to honor family and friends by purchasing books for the Libraries' collections. The collections have so far received 90 books in a range of subject areas from aviation history to etymology to basketball. A printable form to purchase a Legacy Book is available at Legacy Book Program @ the Libraries.