We need to build the collection until it is representative of the entire curriculum and provides the depth of support our students need. We are pleased to announce that the library now has a lab with sixteen computers available for instruction and student practice. The lab contains sixteen Gateway computer workstations each equipped with 2GB hard drives and networking hardware to allow the machines to peruse the library online catalog, various informational databases or surf the Internet. The computers also run the same version of the Microsoft Office suite used in the computer labs. All machines are connected via network to a laser printer which also resides in the lab.
Students can easily obtain a hard copy of the results of their research without leaving the lab.
An additional computer is used as a teacher's workstation and is connected to a video projector to provide a means for group classroom presentation of instructional materials. The lab was first used with the Gateway sessions and has been heavily used for the English 101 classes when training for research skills. It is ideal to have hands-on sessions when showing and training students, and others, in the use of the computerized resources. This fall the library began taking part in the Gateway program for incoming first year students. Gateway is a required program for all new students and is designed to acclimate the student to campus life here at Albright.