Increasing Numbers of Publications
With an explosion in
the types and numbers of publications available today, research
libraries are struggling to keep pace. The UH Library is
seeking solutions to this problem by purchasing materials in new
formats, developing innovative methods of managing information,
and promoting cooperative sharing of resources.
New Information and Communications Technology
Alternative
methods of retrieving and storing information are helping
libraries cope with the increasing numbers of publications now
available. Computers, electronic networks, and CD-ROM databases,
while allowing rapid searching of information, require significant
investments of time and money to install and update.
High Inflation and Fluctuating World Value of the Dollar
Library materials are costly. Inflation for book
materials far exceeds the general rate of inflation. Fluctuating
dollar values compound the problem for materials purchased
overseas. State allocations cannot keep up with the dramatic and
repeated cost increases for books and journals.
Deteriorating Collections
Time, use, and environment are
working to destroy library collections. A chief culprit is the
acidic paper used for printing over the last century. Libraries
bear a special responsibility to preserve the heritage of the past
and the intellectual record of the present for those who are yet
to come. Through its preservation treatment facility, the UH
library works to restore this heritage, preserving it for future
generations.
Your support is critical to our efforts. With the help of our
donors, we are able to face these challenges and provide the
resources necessary for a quality
education.
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