The Oviatt Library of California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has
received a five-year, $1.6 million U.S.
Department of Education grant through the Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving
Institutions Program to improve student success through strengthening
its library collections, archives, and information competence. This program
provides grants to assist eligible Hispanic-serving institutions of higher
education to expand their capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students.
CSUN qualified for the program based on a Hispanic student enrollment of 30.2%
of its headcount enrollment of 31,448 (Fall 2001).
The goal of the Library's HSI grant project is to contribute to students'
academic success by improving their information competence skills through
strengthening library collections, archives, and instructional services. In
achieving this goal, we will:
- Increase Latino students' library use and research skills by expanding
the Library's collection of books, journals, electronic resources, media,
and teacher curriculum materials related to Latino history, social sciences,
and culture.
- Acquire, digitize and improve accessibility of primary archival materials
related to Latino individuals and organizations of the San Fernando Valley
area and other areas within Los Angeles. Archives offer a wealth of primary
research materials. Student use of these collections contributes to the
depth of cited resources and the quality of students' research projects.
- Measure the impact of instruction by librarians on student information
competence skills -- one of the goals of the University's general education
program. Information competence, which is the set of skills needed to find,
evaluate, use, and produce information in today's many formats, is essential
for student success.
Due in part to our commitment to teaching, scholarship, and active learning
as well as our desire to seek partnerships and alliances with the community,
the grant will enable us to achieve the academic and social goals that have
long been a part of the Oviatt Library and the Urban Archives Center.
Contact Information:
For general information about the grant:
Goals
of the HSI Grant Project