From the Library Director:
Library Annual Report

Library staff recently completed the Library's 2000/2001 Annual Report, which is available on the Library's website at www.library.uams.edu/aboutlib/annualrpt01.htm. The report includes annual statistics, such as number of volumes in the collection, number of items circulated, etc. Selected highlights of accomplishments for the year include the following:

• Increased number of online journal links in the catalog from 519 to 1,091
• Completed a comprehensive review of the journal collection and added 22 new journals
• Provided online request forms for interlibrary loan and other services
• Began delivering requested journal articles electronically to users' desktops
• Improved delivery time for most journal article requests from 7 days to 48 hours
• Began sending the majority of overdue notices through email
• Provided ten history of medicine exhibits
• Redesigned the Library's website (www.library.uams.edu - added several online forms, the Library newsletter, site indexing, text-only feature for sight-impaired users, and usage tracking software)
• Completed initial design/implementation of the ARHealthLINK consumer health information website (www.arhealthlink.org - See related article in this issue)
• Produced new library services online guide
• Coordinated twenty-five Friday@Noon presentations for 741 attendees (47% increase)
• Reserved classroom and testing rooms 212 times (33% increase)
• Administered 118 tests (81% increase) to 2,710 students
• Improved support for Faculty Development Room
• Worked with COA personnel to plan the COA Library
• Rearranged furniture on 2nd and 3rd floors to create more usable study spaces
• Revised signage on 2nd and 3rd floors
• Installed automatic (ADA-compliant) front doors

Major problems which affected services included the following:

• Lack of staff (20% reduction in staff from previous year resulted in some services being eliminated)
• Inadequate journals/book budget
• Lack of adequate space - need more space for processing and storing archives, more student study space, etc.

The accomplishments of the past year would not have been possible without the hard work of the Library staff, and the continuing support of Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, Dr. Larry Milne, and the Library Advisory Committee.

Mary L. Ryan,
UAMS Library Director