The problem of large price increases for library materials and lack of increased funding is an acute one for the library, and needs serious administrative attention. Electronic Services Change has remained the byword in library electronic services. Release 9.0 of the JeWeL software should be loaded in the next few months, with a number of anticipated enhancements for staff and public. This year, the library has also generated statistics of library circulation by the departmental major of the student. Library users in the library building and around campus have found access to a large number of bibliographic databases through OCLC FirstSearch to be useful.
Additional databases are likely to be added in the future.
Change may be the byword in library services these days as the methods of most efficiently delivering information to our community of users changes. The library is one of nearly 300 sites across America where each satellite teleconference is downlinked to an audience of library personnel. Library assistants from several Berrien County libraries come to the Sky Room of James White Library each month to view the series in company with personnel from our own staff. Produced at the College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, the teleconference series is the first extensive use of this medium to train library assistants. Topics covered include attitudes toward service, use of technology, reference assistance, effective communication techniques, and the various roles of library paraprofessionals.