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BUL - Update (Spring 2004) FROM THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR     This academic year has been a year of growth and development in the library facilities, resources, and services.  Much of this growth has been made possible through the contributions of many donors.  Our services have increased and our collections have grown due to the support received through the generosity of different agencies and individuals.     The library received 16 new Compaq computers and one laser jet 4600 color printer as part of a grant from the European Union.  Eight of these computers are available for students’ use for Internet access and other electronic resources.  Eight computers have replaced old models in staff offices in order to facilitate the work of the staff in the preparation of the online catalog and the production of other records.     The U.S. Consulate General’s Public Affairs Office, Jerusalem has funded a subscription to Electronic Journals Service (EJS), enhanced version from Ebsco International.  The service provides direct access to abstracts and full text for all subscribed journals received in hard copy as well as direct viewing of table of contents, abstracts, and full text of thousands of electronic journals in Ebsco’s system.     The library received more than 1,500 books from the private library of the late Professor Edward de Moor of the University of Nijmegen, Netherlands.  His widow chose our library as the site for this collection.  The books are in Arabic, English, and French, and treat primarily of Arabic literature and other topics of Arab interest.     Orbis Books and MISSIO/Munich awarded the library a book grant to aid Catholic libraries and research centers in developing countries.  Fifty books from Orbis Books Publisher that treat of religious and spiritual topics were added to our collection through this grant.rant.     Mr. Afif Safieh, Palestinian General Delegate to the United Kingdom and to the Holy See sent us more than 750 books and journals from his private collection.  The books in English,   French, and Arabic cover a wide variety of subjects including Palestiniana, Arab countries, literature, fiction, and biography.     Professor Herbert C. Kelman of Harvard University, Department of Psychology has sent us a large collection of recent journals in psychology.  This project was coordinated through Dr. Vivian Khamis.     Development Cooperation Ireland (DCI) has funded a grant to purchase fifty books in public administration, accounting, management, human resources, public finance and related topics.  Students in the Faculty of Business Administration can profit from these additional resources.  In addition, DCI has funded the purchase of books and journals to support various programs in the Faculty of Nursing including emergency program, neonatal nursing program, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy.rapy.rapy.     United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has provided us with this year’s Report on UNCTAD Assistance to the Palestinian People and a full set of UNCTAD reports and studies on the Palestinian economy published over the past ten years.     The French Consulate in Jerusalem has provided a small collection of books in French.  They will be a valuable contribution and an important resource for students who are learning the French language.     The Institute of Community Partnership (ICP) transferred 120 books and various AV equipment to the library collection.  The books cover a variety of topics in business areas.     These and many other contributions received from those who support us in our mission of education add greatly to our library collections.  None of these additions would have been possible without the generosity of the donors.  I am extremely grateful to those who provide these additions.   Br. Dominic Smith   LIST OF DONORS Ambassade de France Center for Arab Unity Studies Muwatin Palestinian Institute for the Study of        Democracy Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens’     Rights Br. Henry Chaya Don and Mary Costello Fr. Peter DuBrul Br. Richard Lemberg Mrs. Elizabeth Moley Ms. Tamara Qumsiyeh Ms. Hanan Saca/Hazboun Br. Andrew Winka Bible College Heinrich Boell Foundation Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute     (MAS) Fr. Jacques Amitees Br. Myron Collins Mr. Richard Dorn Prof. Henry Jaqaman Mr. Duncan Macpherson Dr. Khader Musleh Ms. Maha Saca Mr. Yasuhiko Sata Mr. Michael Younan TURATHUNA Dr. Niall Holohan, Representative of Ireland to the Palestinian Authority was present for the official dedication of Turathuna: Center for Palestinian Heritage.  Development Cooperation Ireland funded the establishment of this center whose aim is “to contribute to the emergence of Palestine’s national and cultural identity.  We see the role of the center as providing a showcase for this heritage.” Six additional display panels have been completed and more artifacts including a grinder and Palestinian embroidery were donated recently.  The guests including members of the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, and representatives of local schools and cultural centers had an opportunity to experiment with some of the available computer technology.  In his remarks Br. Vincent Malham expressed appreciation to the researchers, technicians, consultants, and donors who assisted in the creation of this facility. LIBRARY SKILLS The course in Library Skills (LIBR 101) was offered for the first time.  This seven week course required of all first year students provides information and helps students develop skills necessary for academic life.  Research strategies including selection of a topic, using information sources and preparing a seven item bibliography are components of the course.  Mr. Anan Hamad is the instructor.  An evaluation of the pilot program was conducted at the conclusion of the year and a report was distributed.  It’s interesting to note that one student in the course was assisting a fourth year student in the proper way to cite sources for a bibliography.   PROJECT DESK CALENDARS Through the combined efforts of Ms. Elsa Hazboun, Director of Personnel Management and Mr. Issa Bandak, Instructor in the Faculty of Business Administration students participated in a project to raise funds for the Bethlehem University Library Scholarship Fund.  A desk calendar with photos reflecting the local culture was created and the students had a chance to practice principles learned in their studies by selling the calendars.  The most rewarding aspect of the project is the knowledge that our own needy students profited from the work of the students in business.   BOOK COLLECTION LC Classification Number of English Books Number of Arabic Books A General Works 440 215 B-BJ Philosophy, Psychology 1,286 1,578 BL-BX Religion 1,887 3,192 C Auxiliary Sciences of History 221 240 D History: General and Old World 3,177 5,226 E-F History: America 283 128 G Geography, Anthropology, Recreation 802 729 H Social Science 5,375 4,019 J Political Science 760 813 K Law 204 204 L Education 1,942 1,879 M Music 190 115 N Fine Arts 556 323 P-PA General Philology and Linguistics Classical Languages and Literatures 833 275 PB-PH Modern European Languages 1,408 14 PG Russian Literature 123 77 PJ-PM Languages and Literatures of Asia, Africa, Oceania American Indian Languages Artificial Languages 506 6,640 PN General Literature 1,025 665 PR English 2,413 108 PS American 993 100 PQ French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese 381 156 PT German, Dutch, Scandinavian 96 25 PZ Fiction 469 16 Q Sciences 4,968 795 R Medicine 3,502 992 S Agriculture 263 226 T Technology 1,929 564 U Military Science 65 69 V Naval Science 6 14 Z Bibliography, Library Science 384 406 Total Books= 35,855 29,803   French 2,023 Spanish 574 Italian 27 German 41 Russian 7 Hebrew 6 Latin 43 Greek 9 Total Books= 2,726 BOOK FAIR Bethlehem University Library participated in the first local book fair sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Arab Women Union, Cardinal House of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Peace Center, and Friends of Jabra Ibrahim Jabra.  Almost 100 of our books were on loan for the exhibition that emphasized works by local authors and those that treat of Bethlehem.  Books by Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and Edward Said were also included in the exhibition. In addition, the library has contributed second copies, old and used books to Freres School in Bethlehem, Latin Patriarchate School in Beit Sahour, the Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists in Bethlehem, Orthodox Cultural and Educational Center in Beit Jala, and Evangelical Luteran Secondary School Talitha Kumi.   Audio Visual Center Mohammed Esmael, a third year student with a major in Arabic and a minor in Journalism, from Dar Salah-Bethlehem, is one of the most active students in using and taking advantage of the library resources. Almost every day he spends about two hours using the Internet searching for his needs. His interest is in Arabic poetry, linguistics, grammar, novels, literature, and Islamic and language studies. He finds these resources are a great help in his studies, research and hobbies. Also, he is reading and using the books in the library for about one or two hours daily. Besides his use of the library, he is spending much of his time helping a third year blind Arabic major student, Awad Ebiat, in his studies.   STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS A room dedicated for students with special needs was established during the year.  The Students with Special Needs Committee considered the priority to equip the room in order to serve the special needs of students with visual impairments.  Equipment including a brailler, a braille embosser, two computers, a scanner, JAWS screen reading computer software program, screen zooming, and two cassette tape recorders with headphones have been placed in the room to assist the students with learning.  The room is located next to the Library Director’s office.  In addition, students can borrow books at the circulation desk from the National Society for the Visually Handicapped, Jerusalem for their leisure reading. CIRCULATION STATISTICS 2003 – 2004 L.C.Class Fall Spring   Arabic English Total Arabic English Total A 3 2 5 7 0 7 B 1368 171 1539 1388 126 1514 C 5 4 9 27 9 36 D 606 101 707 683 81 764 E-F 9 10 19 12 23 35 G 180 37 217 195 39 234 H 1078 337 1415 1314 174 1488 J 268 22 290 161 13 174 K 7 2 9 43 3 46 L 762 112 874 826 97 923 M 22 66 88 13 1 14 N 137 17 154 85 15 100 P 2750 768 3518 3284 1084 4368 Q 233 355 588 259 427