What and Where is SEL?

By Antoinette Nelson

The Science & Engineering Library (SEL) is located in the basement of Nedderman Hall at the University of Texas at Arlington. The collection was originally located on the third floor of the Central Library. In the mid-1980s, plans were made for a new Engineering Building, which included space for the Science and Engineering Library. On October 8, 1988, Engineering II was dedicated and in January 1989, the Science and Engineering Department moved there from the Central Library. In 1991, Engineering II was renamed Nedderman Hall in honor of former UTA President Wendell H. Nedderman, and since that time, the library has had several name changes, from EB-II Library, to Science & Technology Library, to its present Science & Engineering Library.

SEL resources support curricula in the College of Science and the College of Engineering, such as Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Biomedical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems, Materials Science, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Subject liaison librarians are assigned to each department, and they also provide individual and class instruction on the various databases and library resources. To find the subject librarian for a specific subject area please go to http://www.uta.edu/library/ref/consult.html.

The SEL collection includes reference materials, bound periodicals dating back from twenty-five years to the present, current periodicals, and a core circulating collection of books. Earlier volumes are maintained at Central Library or may be retrieved within a day or two from Remote Storage. With the exception of the current periodicals, shelved alphabetical by title, the rest of the collection uses the Library of Congress classification scheme to shelve materials.

SEL has access to many electronic resources, such as subject databases and online reference resources. The digital initiative of SEL, originating in 2000, is designed to move the Library into the twenty-first century with cutting-edge technology in order to deliver user-friendly services. The collection, predominantly in digital format, will be provided for on-site users as well as remote users, regardless of location and time. The varied, authoritative, and up-to-date information will support the Libraries’ mission to promote curricula and innovative research. In three to five years, the digital library will have an expanded and enriched UTA Online (the Libraries’ homepage) with structured science and engineering web-based reference files, a suite of electronic databases with full-text, full-image journals, form-based services, and many other customized services to meet the needs of students, faculty, and the UTA community at large.

exSEL News, SEL’s electronic newsletter, can be accessed from SEL’s homepage at http://libraries.uta.edu/sel/. Included in the e-newsletter is general library information about circulation and reference services, monthly exhibits, database spotlights, research tools, staff news and links to the library electronic newsletters for the various science and engineering departments.

Every library has its stories to tell. SEL certainly has had its share in the recent past with live raccoons and occasional floods. Our adventures provide interesting days in the lives of the SEL staff and a few physical plant staff who happened to be painting the library when we were chasing raccoons. Ms. Raccoon has become SEL’s mascot. See our friendly raccoon along with the other friendly SEL staff at: http://libraries.uta.edu/sel/otherhtml/staff.html. We have a fish aquarium located in the leisure reading area which several students have adopted and help maintain.