| An Era of Excellence | ||
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 I
n the fall of 1996, Robin Downes, Director of Libraries since 1980, requested a
realignment of his responsibilities. Effective January 1, 1997, with the approval of the UH Board
of Regents, Mr. Downes assumed the title of University Librarian. In this new role, he will focus
on the planning process for a redesigned and expanded library facility, and on the increasingly
important area of information policy and electronic publishing in the emerging digital library
environment.
In his request to the university administration, Mr. Downes noted that "... the Library is widely respected by faculty and students, and the outstanding staff has positioned it to create the new kind of library for the 21st Century which the University of Houston and all other U.S. universities will need in the immediate future. As my years at the University of Houston accumulate, however, the wisdom of planning for a transition in the Library's leadership becomes more evident." Under his guidance over the past 17 years, the Libraries have become a model among academic research libraries for innovative applications of information technology, high quality service, and cost-effective operations. Robin Downes' leadership of the University of Houston Libraries has marked an era of growth and excellence unparalleled in the history of the libraries. Mixing pragmatism with a visionary and entrepreneurial organizational strategy, he led the effort to create, within the University of Houston Libraries, one of the most sophisticated digital library environments in the United States. |
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The evidence of his legacy of leadership is remarkable. The passage of the Student
Library Fee, initiated by students and overwhelmingly approved in a student referendum, was an
unprecedented vote of support and confidence by the students for the importance of library
services. Another significant contribution is the TexShare Project which grew out of Mr.
Downes' vision of a statewide university library resource sharing program. This project has
become a national model for statewide cooperative efforts among university libraries. Editor's note: Dana Rooks has been named Dean of Libraries. A profile of Dean Rooks will appear in the next issue of Library Edition. Dana C. Rooks |
Association, and the
Libraries. The Women's Archives currently holds the records of the Houston Area Women's Center and a
collection of materials relating to the National Women's Conference held in Houston in 1977. During this
summer, the Women's Archives will also contain the papers of Nikki Van Hightower. Hightower is a local
activist, educator and politician.
computer workstations, each providing access to 18 databases and numerous online catalogs to major research institutions around the world. Some of the more heavily used databases include Medline, Chemical Abstracts and the recently acquired Agricola and CINAHL databases.
Pharmacy Library's Home Page also provides information about the pharmacy library staff, services, and the book and journal collections. The home page even allows users to browse a list of recently acquired book titles or link to numerous other Internet sites from colleges of pharmacy around the world.
as well as to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the naming of the ship, the University of Houston Libraries' Special Collections and Archives Department has tapped into the rich resources of its manuscripts collections and assembled a sampling of materials and memorabilia for display in the first floor exhibition area. The exhibit "Remembering the U.S.S. Houston" will remain in the lobby of M.D. Anderson Library through May 2, 1997. A permanent exhibit on the U.S.S. Houston is located in the George R. Brown Room.
In Memory of or