LIBRARY COMMUNITY UPDATE LCU 16 December 15, 2003 by Henry DuBois

Library Holds the Line on Hours Despite Budget Woes

It's no secret that the state's fiscal problems are causing public agencies throughout California to cut back on services, impose new fees, and even shut down. The College and the Library are no exception; we all know that student fees are going up and money to support our programs is becoming harder to find. Funding for the purchase of new books and media, for example, never has been so sparse, and the funding we do have never so tenuous, as in the current fiscal year. It's heartening, then, to be able to announce some good news. Despite this year's worsening budget picture, the library has announced that in Spring, 2004 hours of access to the library building will continue to be: LAC Monday - Thursday 7 a.m. -10 p.m. Friday 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. PCC Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Both libraries are closed on Sunday. In announcing this decision, LBCC Library Department Head Dele Ukwu noted that, even though the library has been a leader in providing remote access to many of its information resources (electronic books and full-text electronic journals), "for many of our students it continues to be very important to have a 'physical library' in which to use print materials, consult with a librarian, and study." "We are here to serve the information needs of the campus community," said Ukwu, "and those needs don't stop with our online databases. Having the library building open when students and faculty need it is one of our top priorities." Hours for both LBCC library hours can be found at http://lib.lbcc.edu/libhours.html For more information contact: Dele Ukwu (562) 938-4581 dukwu@lbcc.edu