Description of the Library (for program accreditation and grant writers)

The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Library currently occupies over 39,000 square feet on three floors, with seating for 239 users at tables, at carrels, and in study rooms. It also houses five small-group teaching rooms, teleconferencing facilities (with seating for 26), and two state-of-the-art computer labs. One lab has 29 Windows XP workstations, two networked printers, and a projection system for teaching. The other computer teaching lab is a shared-use facility, managed jointly by the library and telecommunications services. It has fifteen workstations equipped with Windows XP, a projection screen for teaching, access to a network printer and teleconferencing facilities.

Photocopiers are available to the public on each floor of the library. Two flatbed scanners are provided on the first floor for incorporation of graphic images into PowerPoint presentations. Seven public search stations throughout the library offer access to databases and other electronic resources. Network connectivity for laptop computers is provided both through wired Ethernet jacks located in public areas on all three floors and through wireless (802.11b) networking.

The library provides a variety of information services including answering basic reference questions, providing assistance in online searching, mediated searching of online databases, e-mail and web-based reference service, interlibrary loan, and user education. The collection includes over 190,000 print volumes (books and bound journal volumes). The library offers more than 2361 journals in either print or electronic format. The library also provides a collection of current audiovisual materials in a variety of formats. The library provides access to 83 databases and 451 electronic books.

The library is open 101.5 hours per week. However, remote access to the online catalog, databases, and electronic resources is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the library’s proxy server.

In summary, the LSU Health Sciences Library in Shreveport provides LSUHSC-Shreveport students, faculty, and staff with ready access to critically important information required for research, patient care, and teaching.