Historical Background
The birth of CSJ-R, now USJ-R, brought a one-man library that catered to the needs of the original 940 students and 20
teachers. The library offered the passive and traditional service of providing materials to the members of the academic community.
It adopted the closed-shelf system that made the collection not readily accessible to the users.
In 1980, the institution ventured into improvements through standards (accreditation), spearheaded by Rev. Fr. Blas
Montenegro, OAR. The library underwent a thorough evaluation of its resources both human and material. At the time of the
accreditation, the staff was composed of six professional librarians, one support staff and 29 student assistants. During
the re-accreditation in August 1984, the library had increased its staff to 10 professional librarians, two support staff
and 43 student assistants. Inadequacy of the collection was remedied through the efforts to build up, update, and enrich library
holdings of monographs, periodicals and other non-book materials along the curricular, research, informational, cultural and
recreational needs of the members of the academic community.
The library continuously introduced activities to lend support in carrying out the library’s aim in reference
to the goals of the institution. It has expanded and developed in terms of facilities, it has acquired additional space that
houses the technical services section and the storage for old but usable books.
The library underwent a major physical renovation that started towards the end of SY 1984 and was finished in the
early part of 1987. Complete repainting of the entire library, as well as the re-polishing of tables, chairs and shelves were
done.
Another major Library renovation took place from January 2002 to June 2002. Air conditioning units and new floor tiles
were installed, steel mezzanines were constructed to house the old editions, new furnishings were acquired, new computers
were purchased for the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), CD ROM collections and for the Readers Services Librarians.
The library now has a 982 seating capacity.
The Research Planning/Scholarship Center, the Graduate School office, the Graduate School seminar room, the Graduate
School library and the Instructional Media Center (IMC) were relocated to give way to the new Library office, the Multi-Purpose
Room and the Internet Access Room. The IMC was converted to a Faculty Lounge equipped with computer units for the use of the
faculty members. Later, The Graduate School Library was relocated to this area.
A computer program, Library.Solution, was purchased in the second semester of SY 1999-2000 and was installed July 2002.
The Library initially acquired its three core modules namely: a.)cataloging/ database with an available Z39.50 client for
accessing online sources of MARC records; b.)Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) with built in Z39.50 client to allow patrons
to search library’s catalog; and c.)Circulation control with course reserves, inventory and “server down”
capability. Every year the TLS staff from Singapore conducts upgrading of the software, hardware, operating system and the
database migration. Regular upgrading of the modules provides new features that will help increase productivity in the
library automation environment. At present, the Library System is using version 3.3.5.
In October 2005, the College of Information, Computer and Communications Technology (CICCT) and the College of Education
(COE) were transferred to Basak Campus at the newly built Saint Ezekiel Moreno Building. Likewise, the library collections
that cater to the needs of the faculty members, and the students of the two colleges, and other members of the academic community,
were transferred to the spacious library located at the ground floor. It has a 291 seating capacity.
The library, as the very center of academic life takes pride in the institution’s achievements such as:
the granting of University status in 1984, one of CHED’s Centers of Excellence for Teacher Education, one of the
Centers of Development for Excellence in the field of Business and Management Education and the Deregulated Status to mention
a few.
As of this writing (2008), the library has 13 professional librarians, two support staff and 69 student assistants.
With the administration’s all - out support, the Library reiterates its commitment to be truly responsive to
the needs of the members of the academic community and to assist the University in attaining its avowed goal- Quality Christian
Community- Oriented Education.
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