Let’s get social.
The library of the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico is an academic unit that offers a virtual space through the access to information resources and services and with the guidance and support of information professionals, the academic community can interact, develop skills, exchange ideas, discover new sources and create new knowledge resulting in an empowering lifelong learning experience. This statement is consonant with the university’s mission, and all library services are directed towards achieving it.
The library collection is specialized to support the university’s academic programs in Engineering, Land Surveying, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Education, Management, and Entrepreneurship. The collection includes over 200,000 resources, including books, media, and serial volumes, which are cataloged and searchable through the online catalog. The library is subscribed to thousands of online resources, including full-text electronic books, periodicals, and videos. Remote access to online resources is available through the library’s website and blog. All textbooks and core reference books listed in the syllabi are available within the library as a service to students and in compliance with PUPR’s mission.
The Information Literacy Program is based on the standards established by the Association of Academic and Research Libraries of the American Library Association. Workshops and orientation are offered online to groups or individuals. The Program promotes the development of skills that position students to become lifelong learners. A professional librarian is the Program Coordinator and works with faculty and department directors to create activities, modules, and guides to integrate into the courses across the curriculum to develop information literacy skills. Information Literacy is one of the eight Institutional Learning Goals. The Orlando campus has an auxiliary librarian to assist students, faculty and visitors.
Professional librarians, as faculty members, are active in the educational process. Along with the library staff, they offer users specialized information assistance and services such as online library guides and modules, interlibrary loans, information literacy, and bibliographic search, among others. The library also has a blog updated with information about library events and services and recommended links to reliable sources.
The Orlando Campus Student Learning Center (SLC) is well-equipped for student use. The administrative and technical procedures are operated by the Main Library in San Juan, assisted by an auxiliary librarian located at the Orlando Campus. The SLC maintains computer-based, basic collections that are strengthened and supported by the Main Library in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which consists of over 65,000 volumes classified according to the Library of Congress Classification System. The Main Library specializes in land surveying, engineering, architecture and business administration. At the present time, the main library subscribes to over 2,000 periodicals and publications, both general and technical. The SLC is fully automated in services and administrative procedures. As part of its services, the SLC offers access to a Local Area CD Room Network, Internet, and other database services. Also, interlibrary loans through the main library campus are used for resources not owned by SLC. To help students develop information skills and become independent users/researchers, the SLC has a literacy skills program, as well as audiovisual equipment.
