Update October 2010
Dear friends, colleagues, supporters, and members of the water community,
Much progress has been made since July 16, 2010 when the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) announced its decision regarding WRCA’s future home. Following a thorough review of the three proposals that were submitted from UC Berkeley, Davis and Riverside to house WRCA, UC Riverside was selected as the new academic home.
The UC Riverside campus (UCR) is partnering with California State University. San Bernardino (CSUSB) to continue to provide access to and development of this world-renowned collection. In fact, the move will allow UCR and CSUSB to build a statewide collaborative network that will enhance access to WRCA’s unique materials. This network will not diminish services to the UC campuses but increase support for water research agendas of the UC and CSU campuses and external clientele of WRCA.
Throughout August and September, a transition team has been meeting to gather information and propose a strategy for the move. The transition team will shepherd WRCA through the complex process of moving the physical collection as well as the online catalogs, archival collection guides, WRCA web site, several databases, the On Water blog, and Clearinghouse for Dam Removal Information.
Although some access points may change, virtual use of catalogs (via OCLC and Melvyl) and digitized content will remain largely unaltered and available to the public throughout the move. The web site and catalogs will remain accessible at UC Berkeley until we are positive that the files have transferred correctly and are accessible at UCR.
Moving a library is a complex, time-consuming process, and necessitates that access to the physical collection be limited for several months before and after the move. Below is a fairly accurate timeline concerning access to the collections.
October 15, 2010 – WRCA facilities will close and all services will be suspended except for digital interlibrary loan (ILL).
November 15, 2010 – Digital ILL will be suspended.
January 3- 17, 2011 – WRCA collections and equipment will be moved from UCB to UCR. WRCA will be completely moved out of O’Brien Hall by January 31, 2011.
April 25, 2011 –WRCA resources will be formally available at the UCR Orbach Science Library and the CSUSB Pfau Library.
The majority of WRCA’s collections will be located in the UCR Orbach Science Library. Materials specific to the Santa Ana Watershed will be evaluated at a later date to make a determination if components may be located at CSUSB Water Research Institute (WRI) in the Pfau Library. WRCA staff will continue: collecting published and archival materials; an outreach program; and developing unique services.
Thank you all for your continued support of WRCA and for your patience. WRCA looks forward to serving UC, CSU and the California water community for years to come from its new location in Southern California.
We plan to send out another update about the transition in January 2011.
