from the Library Staff

A printable handout of the Year at a Glance 2024-2025, is also available.

In fiscal year 2024–2025, the Edgewood University Library remained a cornerstone of academic support, conducting over 1,100 research consultations, saving students $33,000 through interlibrary loans, and collaborating with the Learning Lab and OSI on the popular Pizza to Pass event to promote student engagement. The Archives and Digital Collections handled 73 information requests, consulted 90+ boxes, and hosted 11,705 items with 25,000 views, supporting key university initiatives including fundraising, alumni relations, and the name change process.

Despite these achievements, the library faces financial strain. With library databases increasing in cost by 3–8% annually, a flat operating budget equates to a real-dollar reduction, leading to resource and service cancellations. To sustain current service levels, budget adjustments must account for inflation.

Graph showing an increasing gap over the years between database costs and budget amounts.

 

Graph showing an increasing gap over the cost of ebooks and ejournals, and budgeted amounts.

 

Serving Students, Supporting Research

Pizza to Pass brought out record attendance—nearly 200 students each semester. For four hours on a Friday night, fully 16% of undergraduates were in the library studying with Course Coaches to prep for finals.

Several groups of students studying in the library with a tutor around a white board and display screen.

 

Graphic showing 429,560 e-resources used, $33,000 cost savings from Interlibrary Loans, 1,104 library consultations, and 2,914 hours of study room bookings.

 

Preserving our past, preparing our future

Last year, the Edgewood University Archives and Digital Collections fielded 73 information requests and consulted more than 90 boxes of materials in responding to these inquiries. We hosted 11,705 items on the library’s digital repository and delivered nearly 25,000 item views. Our top clients were the Office for Institution Advancement, including Alumni Relations, and the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications. Historical photographs and other archival materials were used in the Thanksgiving fundraising appeal, at the Emerald Club luncheon and Alumni Awards ceremony, and on the Edgewood University Alumni & Friends Instagram account. Archival records were also loaned for meetings with individual alumni and donors; double-checked to verify terms of service for previous trustees; cited in discussions with the City of Madison regarding maintenance of the Park and Pleasure Drive; and referenced throughout the university name change process, including as part of trademarking new logos.

Image of the handwritten Edgewood Annals with the caption 822 pages scanned, 49% transcription complete.

 

A printable handout of the Year at a Glance 2024-2025, is also available.