2003-2005 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama

General Information43Education Library, and Eric and Sarah Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering. TheW. S. Hoole Special Collections Library is located on the second fl oor of Mary HarmonBryant Hall. Under separate administration are the Health Sciences Library, located inthe Educational Tower at DCH Regional Medical Center, and the Bounds Law Library,located in the Law Center.The University’s libraries are committed to providing service and access to informationresources equally to all library users. Each of the libraries provides special accommo da tions for users with disabilities. In addition, two of the libraries have adaptivetechnologies workstations. Library services supporting distance education are availableby telephone and through the University Libraries’ Web site at www.lib.ua.edu. On campusthe libraries offer library instruction classes designed to assist students and facultywith research and instruction.The libraries combined hold more than two million cataloged items. In addition tobooks and microform materials, the collections include a broad selection of journals,news pa pers, and other serial titles in paper and electronic format. The libraries serveas the regional depository for United States gov ern ment publications.The William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library contains materials related toAlabama and the Deep South, rare editions, Confederate imprints, pamphlets, maps,archives of the University, and Alabama state publications. Various Con gres sion al collectionsare deposited here. Hoole Library staff have begun digitizing key library collectionsto make them available to readers beyond the library’s physical location. The libraries’catalog, e-journals, e-books, and a wide variety of databases may be accessed electronicallyin each of the libraries. These resources are available also via the UniversityLibraries’ Web site.The University of Alabama has an academic membership in the Association of ResearchLibraries, a selective group of institutions emphasizing research and graduate instructionat the doctoral level and supporting large, com pre hen sive collections of library materials.The University’s libraries also hold memberships in the Center for Research Libraries, theAssociation of Southeastern Research Libraries, the South east ern Library Network, theCoalition for Networked Information, and the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries.SCHOOL OF MINES AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENTThe School of Mines and Energy Development (SOMED) is a University-wide supportorganization for mineral- and energy-related research. An important task of SOMED isto support research and service opportunities for University faculty that will enhancethe development and growth of industry and the economy in Alabama, as well as in thenation.The director of SOMED works closely with the deans of various divisions of the Universityin developing research activities of mutual interest to those colleges and SOMED.These activities are promoted through the SOMED Faculty Research Grants Program,the College Research Support Fund, and the Cooperative Research Program of matchingfunds. At SOMED opportunities for support of and participation in research in energy andminerals are created for a broad sector of the University faculty and graduate studentbody. The sources of funding for these activities include state and federal agencies,corporations, and foundations.Primary research emphasis is on the resources of the state, including minerals, coal,coalbed methane, oil shale, lignite, biomass, and water. One important SOMED missionis developing interdisciplinary research that addresses not only science and engineeringstudy of the materials, but also study of their economic and environmental impacton the state and nation. To accomplish this mis sion, SOMED serves as a coordinatingor ga ni za tion for multidisciplinary research projects that cross department, division,campus, and state university lines.