Rationale:
Air Force libraries are not public libraries. Base libraries exist to help the military and civilian professional do a better job. Today’s military professional has to be well informed, not only about military matters, but about the world as a whole. It has been said that, “The most important thing for business and professional people to have is the most difficult thing for them to find—information. Information makes the difference between a decision and a guess, between success and failure…..” Library staff members are educated and trained information professionals dedicated to providing the right information when and where it is needed.
Reference Support:
As the main information provider on base, the librarian locates, sorts, selects and analyzes informational materials to meet the needs of the military professional. The librarian’s job is to get the right information, to the right person, in the right format at the right time. The librarian is available in person during most operating hours by email or telephone. Additional reference support is available 24/7 online.
Current Awareness:
The librarian will construct database queries to identify articles individuals need to remain abreast of current developments in their career field or other areas of interest. The searches can be run daily, weekly, monthly or at other intervals set by user with results delivered via email.
Office Collection Development:
Mission essential informational materials are purchased by the library for authorized organizations. The materials are maintained in the requesting work center for immediate access.
Electronic Resources:
The library maintains collections of electronic materials including 60,000 full-text newspapers and magazines, over 30,000 electronic books, music streaming, Mango Languages, and Kanopy.