S. Joe McCord
". . .man is most uniquely human when he turns obstacles into opportunities." --Eric Hoffer
The central theme of this issue of the Journal is distance learning. Offering courses and even degree programs at off-campus sites is expanding rapidly due to a number of economic, social, and demographic factors, which I will not attempt to analyze. Suffice to say that all too often distance learning programs are instituted with little consideration given to providing adequate library support. The budgets of many Texas academic libraries are barely adequate to support on-campus courses. Providing support for remote sites, which according to accrediting agencies should be essentially equal to on-campus support, poses a real challenge for these libraries. It is a challenge that, I believe, Texas librarians can and will overcome.
One approach to the problem is described in the thoughtful article in this issue by Harold Billings, Director of the General Libraries at UT Austin. Billings proposes the establishment of The Library of Texas, "a collaborative, operational, resource-sharing enterprise joining the major library programs in Texas." In my opinion, the most significant aspect of this paper is the author's contention that the development of distance learning and the attendant need for library support present an opportunity rather than a problem. By welding together the efforts of TexShare, the Texas Library Connection, Project Link, the Texas State Library, the Texas Library Association, the Texas Council of University Librarians, the Texas Council of Junior and Community College Librarians, etc., libraries will be well positioned to obtain additional funding from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, the Legislature, and other sources.
Certainly, the cooperation of all types of Texas libraries will be essential as distance learning and lifelong learning grow in size and importance in our state. The electronic delivery of digitized information will be a very significant part of support for distance education, but no less important will be the cooperation and assistance of libraries, whether public, school, or academic, that are located at or near the remote learning sites. Regardless of how sophisticated the technology may be, students will still need the assistance of librarians to locate and evaluate appropriate resources, and to learn how to use them. Students will continue to need the "traditional" library services and resources for the foreseeable future.
I hope that you will read the Billings article and use it as a catalyst for continued thought and discussion of the future of Texas libraries. By working together to seize the opportunities that cooperation, new potential funding sources, and the strength of numbers present to us, we can build an exemplary library and information support system for the citizens of Texas. We must continue to explore new avenues for cooperation and to view every obstacle as an opportunity.
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Last Modified: 3/25/1997