NSU Horizons Fall 2007

library services, as well as the full academic resources of one of the nation’s largest independent universities. With its inspiring architecture, museum-like ambiance, and volumes of interactive amenities, this five-story facility is a community dream that became a reality. “It is a crowning achievement,” said Donald E. Riggs, Ed.D., NSU’s vice president for information services and university librarian. “This library is a testa- ment to the future of libraries and what they can and will become.” Nearly six years later, the Alvin Sherman Library has issued more than 45,760 library cards to Broward County patrons and boasts a winning blend of form and function—technology, art, culture, and vast resources of information complemented by superior customer service, all within a welcoming setting. Making Use of Form and Function Centrally located in Broward County, the Alvin Sherman Library is open 100 hours per week, more than any other library in Broward County. It gives patrons access to more than 270 databases, including collections of online information in topics ranging from the arts to business and the health sciences. It has the availability of linking patrons to more than 25,000 electronic jour- nals and more than 40,000 electronic books with easy navigation. Furthermore, it provides patrons with free online access to materials that no other Broward County Library has available, such as ValueLine , World Book Encyclopedia , Books in Print , and Peter’s Guide . Unlike most library systems, NSU has a diverse population of patrons ranging from preschoolers and parents to doctoral students and senior citizens. “Research is part of our name,” said Harriett MacDougall, execu- tive director for the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center. “We are in the business of assisting library users with their research needs and projects.” MacDougall added that the moniker “Research Facility” is earned because of the type of databases, materials, and services that are freely accessible. Most of the materials are academic in nature and support the research pursuits of NSU students and faculty members in their graduate or undergraduate work. These research materials are also available for use by Broward County library users, as well as students from other universities or colleges, who live in Broward County. “As a student, I find everything that I need at the Alvin Sherman Library—from plenty of computers to work on to plenty of database resources to tap into for my research papers,” said Elena Soltau, a doctoral student of NSU’s Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. “Compared to other libraries, this library has a well-rounded selection of services and resources that link me to the right information that I seek every time.” the Broward County community, and NSU’s students and faculty and staff members. Two years later, the grand opening of the 325,000- square-foot Alvin Sherman Library forever changed the face of NSU and Broward County. The library, later named after its benefactor, local real estate developer Alvin Sherman, opened its doors with a collection of 240,000 volumes and a book capacity of more than one million volumes. As the largest library building in Florida, it is the only joint-use facility between a private university and county government entity in existence in the nation, paving the way for like partnerships. It offers traditional public A research facility for all Whether it’s research for homework, information about a company that you are thinking of invest- ing in, or a full-length article that you missed in last month’s issue of The New York Observer —the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center makes it all accessible, right at your fingertips. In many instances, there is no need to walk through the library doors, as the library is equipped with state-of-the-art wireless and wire-line technology. Databases not found anywhere else in the county are accessible from a home computer. The library is also part of a 24-hour “Ask a Librarian” chat service that enables a professional librarian and technical support services to solve research and computer navigation problems. There’s even a read- er’s advisory for recreational reading. For the conve- nience of students, faculty members, and community patrons, the Alvin Sherman Library is open 100 hours each week, including evenings and weekends. 16 horizons