Profile of the Science Library

The Blommer Science Library on Georgetown's main campus opened on September 20, 1962, eight years before Lauinger Library was completed. It bears the name of Henry J. Blommer (C'26), who continues to be most generous in his gifts to the facility. Administratively a part of Lauinger, the Blommer Library is physically housed across campus in the Reiss Science Building.

When it opened, Blommer had nearly 18,000 books on its shelves, a book budget of $2733, and a science librarian with two part-time assistants. Jean Durham, the first science librarian, arrived at Georgetown with just two weeks to prepare for this event in which collections from science and mathematics departments and the Riggs Library were combined in a central facility. Her early reports make fascinating reading, and it is interesting to note that some of the early concerns remain today, such as water leaks from the science labs and inadequate facilities to house the collection.

Six subject areas are taught in the Reiss Science Building where the Blommer Library occupies 8622 square feet. Blommer supports those subjects-biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, general science and computer science. Books and periodicals in the sciences are among the most costly items on a library's acquisitions budget. In periodicals, for example, less than 10% of the total number of subscriptions are in the sciences, yet they absorb more than 50% of the periodicals budget. The need is evident for increased endowment funds dedicated to science acquisitions.

The shelves at Blommer hold about 65,000 volumes, and the remaining 55,000 science volumes will soon be consolidated into one additional location, the lower level of Lauinger Library (see article on Lauinger lower level renovation in this issue). Locating science materials in two sites will be a decided improvement over the current four sites. In the present situation, many of the science books are in storage, and must be retrieved by messengers in response to patrons' calls. Once the remaining science materials are located on the lower level of Lauinger in addition to Blommer, they will be accessible for browsing by the patrons.

Blommer's patrons are a relatively stable number of faculty and students, primarily the 72 faculty, 20 post-doctoral fellows, 388 undergraduate majors and 100 graduate students who work in the Reiss Science Building. The Chemistry and Biology Departments support graduate and post-graduate research programs, and Chemistry is one of five graduate programs which the University has targeted for excellence. In addition to these, Blommer Library supports the undergraduate Nursing majors and gives indirect support to students and faculty of the Medical Center. The Medical Center patrons use the Blommer Library to supplement the Dahlgren Medical Library resources which are often clinically based, by virtue of its mission.

In 1990 two professional librarians, three support staff and eight student assistants comprise the Blommer Science Library staff. Margaret O'Rourke, Science Librarian, has headed the staff since 1981. Adding the second professional librarian in 1989 represented a major commitment to improve and broaden information services for the library's patrons. Part of the strategic plan under development for the '90s is to expand the ways in which access is provided to scientific and technical information.

What does the future hold for the Blommer Science Library? There have been recent studies on campus-one on the sciences from the research level perspective, and one currently underway to recommend how sciences might be incorporated into the degree programs for all undergraduates. If this proposal becomes a reality, it will necessitate an expanded collection in the sciences. Other studies have assessed the need for a new science library facility. A proposed academic building is identified in the main campus master plan, and the science library could conceivably be housed in a wing or tower of this new building.

These plans are still years into the future. In the meantime, the staff at Blommer Science Library provide yeoman service to their patrons under difficult circumstances.