Strategic Plan - Using the Bloomsburg University Strategic Plan, Impact 2015, as a framework 

Strategic Issue 1 - Enhancing academic excellence

• Advocate for course-related and independent exploration and creation of knowledge within the disciplines and in general education
• Build relationships that lead to information literate critical thinkers
• Develop the library faculty as educators
• Make available the human and material resources to facilitate and advocate for the exploration and creation of knowledge

Strategic Issue 2 - Achieving excellence while ensuring financial sustainability

• While being good stewards of human and monetary resources and supporting the University's priorities
  • Make needed research materials available promptly and as seamlessly as possible
  • Maintain an environment, virtual and physical, conducive to learning and academic work
  • Develop the library staff and faculty and make best use of their talents and time
  • In concert with PASSHE library colleagues, choose consortial resources and systems and share expertise
• Assist the University in securing new funding sources

Strategic Issue 3 - Designing an enrollment vision in terms of demand, program mix, and capacity

• Support recruitment and retention of students, especially in targeted populations

Strategic Issue 4 - Fostering and developing a strong sense of community

• Create communities of action where partnerships are formed and acted upon to further student and faculty learning
• Create working environments that facilitate greater cohesion with the academic community
• Communicate effectively among partners and stakeholders, including students, professors, staff, community members, PASSHE counterparts, and library consortial colleagues
• Contribute to an understanding of the University's organizational history and its place in the surrounding community
• Welcome local and visiting patrons
• Work with Bloomsburg Public Library and complement one another's work

I Read it in the Paper:

A Century of Front-Page News Coverage from Columbia County

Newspapers have been published in Columbia County since the 1820s, one decade after its founding in 1813. As the only initial sources for its citizens of national news and best providers of coverage for local events, these newspapers comprise an indispensable record of the history of the area.

The newspapers featured in the exhibit are the Columbia County Republican, Bloomsburg Daily, Berwick Enterprise, and Morning Press, dating from 1864-1970. The events covered locally include the trial for a Civil War conspirator, a Bloomsburg State Normal School baseball game, the Sesquicentennial Celebration of 1952, and the Bloomsburg Fair. National events featured are the end of World War II, the beginning of the Korean War, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the first landing of men on the moon. 

The display is currently installed in the flat cases on the third floor of the Andruss Library. The exhibit will be on display until October 30, 2015.

Andruss Library

The Harvey A. Andruss Library (named for a former Bloomsburg University president) provides access to more than 450,000 volumes of books, bound periodicals, and government documents; 2 million microforms; 50,000 journals, magazines, and newspapers in both print and electronic format; and nearly 150 online databases.

The technologically designed building provides more than 900 study spaces with more than 200 having computer access to the library's and worldwide information resources. There are more than 30 group study rooms, photocopying rooms, and a faculty/graduate student study. The building also offers lounge and exhibit spaces and a University Archives and Special Collections Reading Room. Wireless computer access is available in all areas of the building.

The library and its facilities are open to the general public.

he Library Building

This graphic is a drawing of the library building, which opened May 26, 1998. Among the features of this building are:

• Four levels encompassing over 100,000 square feet
• Study seating for more than 1,000 students and faculty
• Stack space for more than 400,000 volumes
• Over 30 group study rooms for 6-12 students
• Personal computers and laptop loaners to access the library's online catalog 
• Lobby space for local, regional and national traveling exhibits
• Meeting room with facilities for audio-visual and television programs
• Exhibit space for the University Archives and Special Collections
• Faculty/ graduate study reading room
• Up-to-date equipment for viewing more than 1 million microforms in the library's collection
• A classroom and computer laboratory with interactive capabilities for Reference Services
• Phones on all levels for queries to Circulation and Reference Desks
• Open access to current and bound periodicals
• Three Tiffany and four Spence stained glass windows from "old" Waller Hall
• A porch reminiscent of The Long Porch from "old" Waller Hall

Floor Plans

To check out books or use our electronic resources in the Library, you will need to apply for a PA Resident Borrower's Card. The Library is not permitted by its licenses to provide alumni with remote access to its electronic resources. This means that unless you currently work for Bloomsburg University or pay BU tuition to take for-credit classes, your borrowing privileges are those of a PA Resident.

If you are a student at another university, for example, Marywood University, then you will have complete access to your home institution's online electronic library resources using their off-campus access links as well as their interlibrary loan services. You may ask one of our librarians for assistance in accessing your university's library's resources.