Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library
As the academic heart of the campus, Ingram Library provides both online and in-house collections and services to meet curricular needs. The four story building of some 85,000 square feet provides seating space for 700, an electronic classroom, a conference room, small group study rooms, lockable faculty carrels, and computers and other equipment for accessing materials retained in print, online, recorded and micro formats. Wireless access to internet resources is available throughout the building.
The library is named in honor of Irvine Sullivan Ingram, the institution's first president. The glass enclosed lobby overlooks a study garden designed in honor of Maurice Townsend, fifth president of the university. The lobby area provides study tables and casual seating where patrons may enjoy food and drink while accessing the wireless network, working individually or in small groups, or browsing through the new books, current newspapers and periodicals on display. Ingram Library houses a collection of student and faculty art, including "The Prophet," a bronze by Gary Coulter, presented by the Class of 1968, which stands at the entrance, and "Sporangium Disseminating Spores," a large ceramic installation by Cameron Covert and Bruce Bobick, completed in 1980. Rotating displays of student art and writing inspired by programs developed by the Thomas B. Murphy Holocaust Teacher Training and Resource Center, which is located on the second floor of the library, may be viewed in the Center and in the lobby.
Library collections include nearly 400,000 cataloged volumes, over 1,000,000 microforms, and more than 20,000 maps and charts. The library provides access to some 16,000 print and electronic serials, including magazines, scholarly journals, and newspapers. As a selective depository for federal documents, the library houses an extensive collection of United States government publications and provides access to government information available in online and other electronic formats.
The library participates in state and regional consortia, facilitating extensive access to the collective resources of university system and other libraries. The library catalog, provided through Georgia Interconnected Libraries (GIL), lists materials available in Ingram Library collections, and provides links to catalogs of other libraries. West Georgia students, faculty, and staff may request books from any university system library through the online GIL Express service, a feature of the universal catalog, and they also have check out privileges when visiting system libraries. In addition, the University of West Georgia is a member of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE), which allows students, faculty and staff to utilize the resources of member libraries. Ingram Library provides interlibrary loan service through its web site, facilitating the borrowing of books from libraries throughout the country. Articles requested through interlibrary loan are transmitted to patrons electronically.
Library users have access to Georgia Library Learning Online (GALILEO), an online library of databases, full text electronic journals, and reference resources available to all Georgians, as well as to an extensive range of electronic materials selected to support the university's academic programs. All licensed electronic materials are available to university students and faculty through any computer with internet access. By providing access to an extensive range of online materials, developing an electronic reserve system and online request systems for obtaining materials from other libraries, the library ensures that students enrolled at the university's remote class sites and in online courses are afforded the same level of library support as those who attend classes on the Carrollton campus. Fax and courier services to off campus class sites, and arrangements with libraries in Newnan and other locations also support off campus students.
The Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections area on the third floor of Ingram Library provides access to information about the history of the university and the geographic area it serves. Photographs, family histories, and other materials associated with the west Georgia region are included in Special Collections, as are materials on sacred harp music and American psalmody. A special effort is being made to acquire the manuscript collections of individuals who have represented the region in state or national legislative bodies. One of the most notable collections is that associated with Georgia's Political Heritage Program, begun by university faculty in 1985. The collection includes taped interviews with state and national leaders, among them most of Georgia's post-World War II governors, U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Georgia House Speaker Tom Murphy. Senator Herman Talmadge was the first interview subject for the program. The Talmadge collection is particularly significant as it includes some thirty-five interviews taped between 1985 and 1995 as well as interviews with his staff and some of his supporters.
Information about library programs and services is distributed through publications available in the building, and through the library web site. An online newsletter chronicles developments within the library, while an online announcements site outlines upcoming events, programs and classes.
The library pursues an aggressive instruction program. A for-credit course, which is part of Area B, is taught in the library's computer-enhanced classroom as well as via the web. The course is designed to orient students to doing research in academic libraries and to critically evaluating information resources. Throughout the semester students may register on the library web site to attend basic library skills classes addressing various topics. In addition, classes tailored to specific assignments and other types of customized instruction are developed for upper-level and graduate courses. Individuals seeking assistance with library resources and research needs can utilize reference services at the reference desk, via telephone, and through the online AskAL service available through the library web site.
The Thomas B. Murphy Holocaust Teacher Education Training and Resource Center, on the second floor of Ingram Library, is the only Holocaust center in the United States devoted to teacher training located in a state-supported institution. With the study of the Holocaust as a catalyst, the Center encourages and supports human understanding and dignity by developing programs to open minds and hearts to the appreciation of all of humankind. The Center's multimedia resource collection includes books, videotapes, archival and electronic materials, augmented by resources available within the collections of Ingram Library. Working collaboratively with academic departments and area organizations, the Center provides curriculum development assistance, teacher conferences, staff development seminars, exhibits, and other programs.
