The Curriculum Resource Center (CRC), formerly located in College Hall, has a new home on the fourth floor of the Musselman Library. Now that the CRC is in the library, students and faculty in the teacher education programs have one-stop access to resources, including the CRC, education materials in the general library collections, and the children’s literature collection. Hours are the same as library hours, and librarians are on hand for research assistance.
Tim Byers, assistant professor of education, is the liaison from the teacher education department for the CRC. Recently he commented on the success of the CRC in the new location: “The CRC gives our campus a central site which we can develop into a place for our teacher education candidates to enhance their instructional profiles and support the diverse teaching strategies required in our local classrooms.” Education students have responded very favorably to the change as well, including with interest in teaching aids that can be checked out for use in clinical practice settings.
The production area makes the CRC a campus destination for users with a variety of needs and interests, not only for education. Bulletin board paper, Ellison letter machine, and laminating are among the supplies and services offered for those working on displays or other creative projects. For a new twist on library service, library student assistants carrying walkie-talkies are on-call from the circulation desk and ready to respond to requests for assistance in the production area. 
Several large tables in the CRC provide space for collaboration and projects, and windows with a view of the trees surrounding the library make this a bright and pleasant place to gather and to study. There are networked computers, and wireless access will be available by Spring 2008. The Seminar Room, the library classroom and group study space, is located adjacent to the CRC and can be reserved for class and group use.
For further information on the Curriculum Resource Center, there is a CRC page at the library website.
- Mary Jean Johnson
