CSU Libraries: Money-Saving Initiatives

CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY — San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) has joined the other 22 libraries in the California State University (CSU) system to launch a new website that features updates on initiatives that include shared services, equitable access and improving learning spaces.

“Students, faculty, staff and administrators all have a big stake in the health, quality and sustainability of their library programs,” says Anna Gold, chair of the Council of Library Deans and University Librarian at Cal Poly. “But they often don’t hear the stories of how libraries work together to save students and campuses money while advancing the mission of the CSU.”

The CSU Chancellor’s Office is investing $1 million in initiatives that will create a next-generation technology platform that integrates many library functions in ways that will enhance user discovery and access. In October 2014, the CSU announced it was preparing a request for proposals to explore platform options that will organize, share, monitor and mine information resources across all 23 campus libraries, giving students and faculty access to more information and resources.

This work is done through System-wide Digital Library Services, which implements new technologies in the areas of information discovery, user-driven content acquisition, integration with learning management systems, and digital preservation. The CSU libraries are sharing their progress through a newly launched website: http://libraries.calstate.edu.

Featured

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.