Learning Resource Center

VISION

Saint Mary’s University Learning Resource Center is envisioned to nourish the quest for learning, the pursuit of intellectual growth, the concern for cultural heritage and the need for information of its faculty, students, and other clientele.

MISSION

Saint Mary’s University Learning Resource Center is dedicated to:

  1. Be a nurturing knowledge-based educational, cultural and information resource center;
  2. Provide sufficient, relevant and up-dated print, non-print resources, and information technology media that support and advance the various academic programs of the university; and
  3. Help students, faculty and personnel become competent, creative and community-supportive Christian disciples through efficient and effective library services

GOAL

The main goal of the University Learning Resource Center is to acquire resources that support and advance the various academic programs of the university, the research and instructional needs of the faculty, the reading and learning needs of the students and other clientele, as well as the information needs of the community extension programs of the university.   Consequently, the ULRC shall preserve necessary records of cultural heritage of the university and its founding congregation.

OBJECTIVES

To attain its goal, the University Learning Resource Center has the following general objectives:

  1. To select and acquire books, periodicals, pamphlets, and other non-book materials and information technology resources which serve as tools of instruction, research and learning in the different subject areas covered by the various academic programs of the university.
  2. To organize, and manage the resources.
  3. To assist the readers in using these materials through circulation, reference, and information technology services.
  4. To develop and encourage the habit of reading and the independent, skillful and intelligent use of the ULRC by the users.
  5. To provide information which are relevant to the various community extension programs of the university.
  6. To forge ULRC linkages or partnerships for development and cooperation on common interest in ULRC matters.
  7. To preserve relevant records and cultural materials of the university and the CICM congregation.

HISTORY

      With the opening of the College of Education and Liberal Arts in 1947, the College Library began operation in a room of modest size in the first floor of the college building.  The library, however, became bigger in 1959 when the College department was transferred to the back of the cathedral. The librarian in-charge then as a certain Sister Ma. Geraldine, OSF. The college library was housed in its eastern wing at the second floor. In 1960, the College employed it first professional trained librarian, Miss Dolores Cabel, and three years later, Miss Alicia L. Genato joined the Library staff. Library operations and procedures were improved: specific sections started to be defined. 

When the College opened up its Graduate School in 1962, a Graduate School Section was created in the College Library. In 1965, Mrs. Alicia G. Natino, assumed the position of the Chief Librarian when Miss Cabel left for further studies. In the same year, Miss Natividad Arcega was taken as Assistant Librarian. With the acquisition of the updated library tools and other library supplies, records and forms, the library processes such as cataloging, classification, shelf listing, accessioning, mechanical processes, circulation and reference services were improved. The increasing volume of the library work resulting from the growing collection and college population necessitated the employment of a bigger library staff. Student librarians started to be employed. 

When Fr. John Van Bauwel, CICM was appointed as College President in 1967, his first moves was the up-dating of library books and periodicals in line with the College’s curricular programs. The President assumed the role of Director of Libraries but maintained the position of Chief Librarian. When the College Department was transferred to the new campus site in the S.Y. 1969-1970, the college library occupied the first floor of the western wing of the Godfrey Lambrecht Hall. The College Library with the three other departmental libraries (High School Library, Elementary Central Library, and Grade School Training Department Library) became centralized as the technical and mechanical works for the departmental libraries were done by the College Library Staff. Appropriate changed and different innovations took place.

The construction of a modern library building called the JUBILEE LIBRARY BUILDING which embodies SMU’s “75 years of educating the youth” provides variety of collection to support the curriculum. The blessing and inauguration of the New Jubilee Library Building was one of the highlights of the diamond jubilee year. It was inaugurated and blessed last December 5-8, 2003. The placing of the Educational Media Center under the library for the proper organization of materials and services was a welcome addition to the library services. The 5th Campus Book Fair was held.

The high school library is housed in a new building – the Florentina Building. The High School library with its modern equipment, fixtures, facilities and signage was blessed on the 31st day of March 2006. With the new building, the open shelf system was also started. Donations particularly books were numerous for this school year. A new library extension was constructed on August 2007 in which a new section was added called Rita’s Reading Corner.

On January 2012, SMU Library was renamed to Saint Mary’s University Learning Resource Center (SMU LRC) System comprising of the libraries in all levels. Thus, the three levels were also renamed as University Learning Resource Center (ULRC) for the University Library; High School Learning Resource Center (HS LRC) for the High School Library; and Grade School Learning Resource Center (GS LRC) for the Grade School Library. On September 2015, the Grade School Learning Resource Center was transferred to the  second floor of the Saint Louis Gonzaga Building.  

With the phasing out of the Athena Integrated Library System in the market, the ULRC implemented the OPAC and Web-OPAC, cataloging and circulation modules using the Koha Integrated Library System  in June . However, the CICM consortium paved way to the acquisition of Destiny Library Management System in preparation for the merging and providing CICM academic library’s bibliographic records in one site. Thus on March 13-17, 2017, the ULRC Librarians had the Destiny Library Start-Up Training.

SERVICES

  1. Readers’ Services

a. e-library services. The e-library provides initially the basic electronic library services (CD Resources, encoding, printing services, and internet access) to support the goals and objectives of the University and the library. These resources are to be used inside the library only.

b. Browsing Services. Newly acquired books whether purchased or donated are displayed in a conspicuous area for clientele to see and read. This area (carrels) is labeled “New Arrivals”.

c. Circulation Services. Books intended for circulation are brought to their respective sections after they have been displayed for a week in the browsing area. Two circulation services are performed:

d. CD-Resources Services. In the University Learning Resource Center , multimedia, most of which are CD’s, are now on circulation for use of the students and faculty; these are, however, for room use only. These are available at the SMU e-Library.

e. Reference Services. Books intended to be referred to for definite and specific information (such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks, handbooks, manuals and other reference books) are brought to the Reference Section. The University has a General Reference Section and Specialized Reference Corner in almost all of the different sections of the University Learning Resource Center.   The High School Learning Resource Center and the Grade School Learning Resource Center have separate General Reference Section of their own.

f. Current Awareness Services. In the University Learning Resource Center, several current awareness services are performed: 1) SMU LRC Newsletter issued quarterly with Accession List of New Books; 2) Library Bulletin of Information displayed monthly at the entrance of the Learning Resource Centers; 3) Letters of information to the Deans and key school officials on new library resources, new arrivals and library statistics; and 4) Circulation of journals and periodicals to the key administrators of the university.

 

  1. Technical Services

The Technical Services of the ULRC ensure the proper selection, acquisitions, and the organization of library resources. The following tasks are included in this area: selection, acquisitions, cataloging/classification, and mechanical preparation; indexing, bibliography, path finder and related tasks.

a. The Selection of Library Resources is comprehensively discussed in the next chapter of this library manual as this professional task rests on the shoulders of the Director of University Learning Resource Center.

b. The Tasks of Acquisitions. These tasks are corollary to the Selection of Offices of the Director of University Learning Resource Center, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice-President for Finance and Development, in coordination with the Deans of the University and the Technical Services Librarian & Periodicals Librarian. 

c. The Tasks of Cataloging. This is primarily the responsibility of the Technical Services Librarian with the assistance of the librarian in-charge of the different sections for encoding purposes

 

  1. Multimedia Services
    1. Current Awareness Services.   This service is done as soon as new acquisitions are available, through the circular noted by the ULRC Director, and addressed to the Deans, Department Heads and Faculty Members. Updates and news are regularly updated and posted in the ULRC bulletin board, web site, and newsletter.
    2. Audio-Technical Services. The Section makes available public address system, tape recorders, LCD and other multimedia facilities and equipment to the faculty members, staff and students upon their request.   These audio-technical services, which include setting up the equipment and facilities and making them functional are given during programs, academic functions within the university campus.
    3. Audio-Visual Room Services.   The Section makes available and prepares the needed audio-visual rooms for the use of faculty and students. 
    4. Technical Services: Acquisition.   The Section maintains an adequate supply of instructional materials and technical equipment, which are needed to service the request of teachers and students.   The procurement of these materials and equipment spare parts follows general procedure established by the Administration..
    5. Faculty Assistance Service.   The Section assists in training the teachers especially in the use of equipment and instructional materials available. The staff also helps the faculty in the production of designed audio-visual instructional materials after it has been evaluated.