Hunter Library will pilot Saturday hours for its Special Collections unit beginning January 21, 2017. The unit, which houses unique and rare materials including photographs, manuscripts, and other materials focused on the history and culture of Western North Carolina, will be open on Saturdays from noon to 7:00 PM through April 29.
“The pilot schedule will allow us to address the expressed desire of some patrons for weekend hours,” said Mark Stoffan, Head of Technology, Access, and Special Collections. “We will monitor Saturday activity in Special Collections during the spring semester and make a decision whether to continue offering weekend hours during the fall 2017 semester based on this data.”
Many patrons who use Special Collections are community members or scholars from other institutions, who may travel a distance to access these unique and specialized materials. The additional hours will benefit patrons who may have other commitments during the week, and expand access hours for students in history, Cherokee studies, and other programs that make heavy use of Special Collections resources. While the library actively digitizes items from Special Collections and makes them available online, only a small percentage of the materials are in digital format.
Guides to Special Collections manuscripts may be searched online at http://wcu.lyrasistechnology.org/. Digital content may be accessed at http://www.wcu.edu/hunter-library/find/digital-collections.aspx. The unit’s home page may be accessed at http://www.wcu.edu/hunter-library/find/special-and-digital-collections.aspx.
If you would like more information, please contact Mark Stoffan at (828) 227-3489 or email at mstoffan@wcu.edu.
