Jason Koole
4/24/2012
Western Michigan University students have access to tons of information due to databases, finding quick and reliable data can be relatively fast. This is all possible because of one service that WMU provides.
Waldo Library was first built in 1958 after Katherine Stokes advocated that the main library be moved to the West Campus from the East Campus, under her direction the library was able to triple its expansion of books from 100,000 to more than 400,000.
The oldest version of Waldo Library building was designed to 225,000 volumes of books and also has seating space for 1,000 readers. During 1967, the building expanded once again, adding more space and the ability to hold 450,000 volumes and 2,000 students. According to a article written by Sharon Carlson about the history of WMU's library.
Over time, the library has evolved to allow use of the Internet, as well as having its own supply of computers, as well as changes to the overall structure of the library.
"At this point, we see significant drops in Library attendance. Our library has more bodies in it because we're modifying the structure to make it comfortable, relative to how students want to study," said Laurel Grotzinger, one of the workers at Waldo Library that has been there the longest. "Students don't come to do research, they don't come to ask questions."
Grotzinger said that a lot of the newer changes, aside from moving the libraries database online, are changes to improve comfort for the students and draw them in, rather than aiding them in gaining information.
"This is a place that students, if they want to work and be connected rather than being in a noisy resident hall, they'll come here and we're trying to make it more and more like a popular place," Grotzinger said.
Grotzinger noted that there are some frustrations with the attendance drops and said part of it was because students are beginning to feel that they can do the research themselves.
"The more I read the more frustrated I've been, because I'm in a field that looks at information and helps everyone who comes in, we have questions from the trivial, simple and factual, those are easy to find, with students if they actually came here," Grotzinger said. "More and more they're not, they do their own searching and think they'll find what they want through Google or a search engine and they don't realize that it's already filtered and more than that, they're going to have evaluate it and interpret it."
Grotzinger said that another big change for the Library and probably the biggest change of it was that everything is going on the Internet now.
"We're putting more up online for students to use, but it's not easy for everybody to figure out," Grotzinger said.
Waldo Library will continue to change and evolve through the future, if what the students want is any indicator, then the library will go through some drastic changes.
"What I think will happen to libraries is that our book collection will be more in more in storage and the building will be based on what the students want," Grotzinger said. "What the students want when we do surveys, even though they come out positively, students want book delivery in certain areas, article deliveries, study rooms, more group areas, some people still want more quiet areas."
Cutlines:
0: Students come and go from Waldo Library, or just pass by it on there way to and from class. Some students rarely go into the library, while others spend a lot of time there.
1: Waldo Library was first built in 1958. The Library was built partly because of the expansion of WMU and no longer being confided to East Campus.
2: These steps are the ones that many people walk on to get to the Library, the library has a fountain in front of it and students can often be seen lounging there.
3: This is the main rotunda of the Library and is where students go to check out books or find out where they can go to get general information. The library has 4 floors that students can have access to.
4: Laurel Grotzinger is one of the Librarians that has been there the longest. She has a lot of knowledge about the history of the Library because of this.
5: When she is not in her office, Grotzinger is on the main level helping students find the material they need to learn.
6: The library has shelves and shelves of books. This is just one small isle out of the entire collection.
7: Some students enjoy reading at the library.
8: While others just enjoy the quiet space and the ability to find some peace in their busy student life.
9: The library also has a microwave in it's lounging section. Students can prepare meals while they are researching.
PHOTO STORY: Introduction to Waldo Library
