Eastern began a new era in library and information service when the new J. Eugene Smith Library opened in January, 1999. Preserving and continuing to extend its inherited collections of documents and intellectual products in a variety of media, the Library also offers a wide array of computer based, machine readable resources.

With the Library's catalogs computerized and online, its collections are more accessible than ever, to users near and far. Even for students and faculty on campus, the finding aids and search capabilities of the electronic catalog are more flexible and more productive than the old card and paper catalogs could be. Likewise, the Library's array of electronic indexes to the contents of journals, newspapers and magazines duplicates and improves upon the functions of the printed compilations of the past, especially when the texts of articles are included.

The Library provides distinct levels of service. Its resources are most completely open to Eastern students, faculty and staff within the library building: not only are the documents in the collection physically available here, but certain electronic databases, supplied in CD-ROMs, are accessed at a single work station or through a local network that is confined to the building. Other databases are accessed via the internet at any networked computer on campus; these services can also be reached from outside the campus via computer modem by those whose membership in the Eastern community allows them to gain password access.

CONSULS (Connecticut State Universities' On Line Library Systems) provides a catalog that can be consulted by all internet users, but some of its features are available only to members of the Connecticut State Universities. These features include the ability to request the transfer of a book or video or a copy of an article from one of the participating libraries to a user in another; they also allow access to databases that the libraries have subscribed to jointly. CONSULS also allows individuals to examine their own patron records, to see what materials are currently checked out to them and whether they are considered to owe any fines.

Please note that holdings of the respective libraries are indicated by E or ECSU for Eastern Connecticut State University, C or CCSU for Central, S or SCSU for Southern, and W or WCSU for Western. The designation SL stands for State Library, the Connecticut State Library in Hartford; the State Library is part of the CONSULS system but does not participate in the reciprocal borrowing arrangements that exist between Eastern, Central, Southern, and Western

Computers in the library: the Library provides close to a hundred computers for use by patrons as well as data connections for portable computers. Most Library computers can be used only by those who have active ECSU computer usernames and passwords; these computers are equipped with a range of Microsoft Office programs and with local database and internet access.  In addition, a limited number of computers are provided for the public, providing database and internet access but little in the way of word processing and other utilities.

Thus, new students and faculty should lose no time in establishing their accounts with the University's Data Center in order to utilize the fullest range of library services and campus information systems.

PIN (Personal Identification Number): There is a further type of password that applies only to the use of library services; it is known as a PIN. Only ECSU students, faculty and staff can have PINs. You will need a PIN to consult your patron record, to request the loan of an item from another CSU library, or to access ECSU databases from an off campus location. Once you have established your PIN, it cannot be retrieved if you forget it, but the Library staff can cancel it for you to let you start again.

LIBRARY SERVICES: Further descriptions of the Library's Services may be found by going to the home page at http://www.easternct.edu/smithlibrary or by accessing the ECSU home page and clicking on Library. Once at the Library home page you may click on Library Services and choose between a number of options.

Other services may be accessed directly from the home page; these include the CONSULS resources, consisting of the online catalog and a selection of databases and links to a variety of other information sources, among them the University of Connecticut's library catalog and IMPACT online, a union catalog of libraries all over Connecticut.

FURTHER FEATURES OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING: The Library houses some special collections and provides some special facilities:

*A-V: a variety of VCRs, special viewing equipment, and listening devices may be found in the Multimedia Reserves area on the second floor.

*Study Rooms for individual use can be reserved at the Main Desk on the second floor

*Research lockers for temporary storage of research materials may also be reserved

*Seminar rooms are sometimes available for group work

*The Curriculum Center on the first floor houses various materials for the use of teachers and students of education and children's literature

*The fourth floor houses the Connecticut Studies collections, the University Archives, and collections of rare and fragile books and journals

*A room for study in the late hours, when the main library is closed, has a separate entrance on the lower level

*GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS from three sources-the U.S. Government, the State of Connecticut and the Government of Canada-are housed near the Reference Collection on the second floor

*Videos in VHS format are cataloged like books but shelved separately, across from the Reserves office on the second floor