Service, and a Founder's Vision
In an undelivered speech he had prepared to present in the U.S. Senate in 1928, Woodbridge Ferris wrote, "In America, our slogan ought to be: 'Education for all the people all of the time.'" It is a sentiment that has found soul and substance through the work of generations of librarians. What are modern libraries if they are not repositories of our culture's most exquisite and dazzling intellectual products made freely available to world-wide audiences?
As FLITE has taken shape over the past 15 months, the Ferris State University community has naturally gravitated toward the physicality of this grand new structure gracing the end of Perry Street. We, too, in LIS have been immersed in the details of the project, thinking in terms of carpet and millwork, study rooms and electronic cabling. That's all well and good, and necessary to get the building done to our specifications.
But FLITE is in concept (and will certainly be in reality) a fundamentally human experience. A great deal of what we have thought about and planned for in FLITE revolves around enhancing the experience of learning and study. For us in LIS, we've thought about creating FLITE as an information place for all members of the FSU community all of the time. With planned extended hours of operation and the 24-hour availability of the Late Hours Study area on the first floor, we're stretching toward that "all of the time" modality.
And serving our customers? We're working hard to do that in LIS. We've successfully made the case for additional funding to grow our collections. We've also recently hired some marvelous colleagues and co-workers who share our commitment to serving the public. We're forging ahead on the development of a number of electronic initiatives, especially subscribing to new digital information resources, improving the content and appearance of our website, and improving our overall electronic infrastructure.
In short, I'm very pleased to say that while we marvel at the progress on that looming building, soon to be our home, none of us have lost sight of the fact that YOU are our most important priority and why we do what we do.
Richard M. Cochran, Ph.D.
Dean of Library and Instructional Services
The LIStener is published by the faculty and staff of Abigail S. Timme Library.
Editor: Carrie Forbes
Technical Editor: Rick Bearden
Publication Committee: Rick Bearden, Anne Kelly, Lyle Mourer, and Felix Unaeze
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