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Dear CWU Family:
As we come together to meet the challenges of the new academic year, I wanted to share how the CWU Libraries can support you.
CWU Libraries will continue the virtual services we grew and enhanced during spring quarter. We are able to serve our library users regardless of location through chat, appointments for more in-depth work, article and chapter scans, and mailing of print books to faculty and students outside Ellensburg when we cannot obtain an electronic copy.
I am proud to share with you that we were one of the first academic libraries to join the revival of our regional interlibrary borrowing and lending network, Summit. Summit books can be picked up in person or mailed outside Ellensburg. We have also expanded our interlibrary borrowing option by joining the RapidILL network, which gives us even more library partners.
All of these efforts are conducted with the latest advice and best practice in quarantine of materials, so please understand if the service isn’t as speedy as you may be accustomed.
We will follow Washington phased reopening and the guidance of our county public health department. Currently in Ellensburg, we are carefully opening the doors of Brooks to welcome you with smiles behind our face coverings and through our eyes. You’ll notice plexiglass at the services desk, and that some collections will be available by request only. These decisions were made following the latest guidelines, best practices, and our on-the-ground assessment of the spaces in which the collections reside.
Although we plan to be open, we recognize that many will prefer virtual interaction for their safety and comfort. Virtual appointments will be available even when the building is open. There will be reduced faculty and staff in the Brooks Library building because we also need to create safe conditions for us. Nevertheless, even if we aren’t present in the building, you can connect with us.
Should we have a change of phase, we are prepared to mobilize quickly. If we need to close our physical doors we’ll continue to offer all services virtually and connect with you regarding additional support areas to expand.
Our Center location specialists will be important members of our virtual services team. The Center locations in Lynnwood and Des Moines will be closed this quarter in accordance with host location practice. All CWU Center students, staff, and faculty are especially welcome as our virtual services are evolving to serve you beyond the pandemic.
We have enhanced and deepened our electronic resource collections. We subscribed to many resources to specifically support online teaching and learning, such as Academic Video Online, Documentary Educational Resources Premium, Digital Theatre Plus, JoVe Biology, to name a selection.
I am especially excited about our expansion of digitized primary resources. Recently, we invested in Sabin Americana, the archives of the Chicago Defender, Hispanic American Newspapers, and Archives Unbound, among others. Many of these resources make available the voices of those who have been underrepresented for so long. I invite you to take the opportunity to explore our content for your curriculum, and for yourself!
As we recognize that care for the whole person is part of education, we also invite you to explore our resources that can entertain. You need not be a music scholar to enjoy Met Opera on Demand! We also invite you to use our new collection of audiobooks.
We hope that we can provide peace of mind and intellectual nourishment. Watch our website for the very latest information.
Be well!
Rebecca L. Lubas
Dean of Libraries
509-963-1981
rebecca.lubas@cwu.edu