Case Study: Fujitsu Computer Products Of America, Inc. And Widener University Wolfgram Memorial Library

Wolfgram Memorial Library supports the academic programs at Widener University—a private university located in Chester, Pennsylvania—by providing undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students access to audiovisual and multimedia materials including, 241,000 volumes, 2,256 current periodical subscriptions, 167,963 microforms, and over 80 online services. Widener traces its origins to Wilmington, Delaware, where it began in 1821 as a small Quaker school for boys. During the next 180 years, the school was transformed numerous times, changing into Pennsylvania Military Academy, Pennsylvania Military College, PMC Colleges, Widener College, and finally Widener University.

In addition to the educational resources, Wolfgram Memorial Library also contains Widener University's archives, which include the university's publications and official records, as well as the course catalogs dating back to 1856, student newspapers and literary magazines from 1877, yearbooks from 1900, memorabilia such as cadet uniforms and athletic trophies and various other clippings, photographs, and biographical information about the school athletics, alumni, faculty and the Widener and Hyatt families. Open to Widener students and the public, this collection captures and preserves the rich history of the university as well as significant pieces of the history of Delaware County. However, the library's efforts to make them accessible to the masses were stinted by their limited ability to document and index this considerable amount of information; a work intensive process for the only 10 faculty librarians and 30 staff who help to keep the library open, and allow access to all its valuable resources, on an average of 95.5 hours per week.