Western Technical College

    Do you remember the last time you visited one of El Paso’s public libraries? Well, now students have the chance to take advantage of all the libraries have to offer for both educational research and personal enjoyment.  Recently, Patti Jackson, Librarian for Western Technical College (WTC), had the fantastic idea to team up with the El Paso Public Library to offer students the membership not only to the public library but also to several other library collections in the El Paso area.  Outreach Librarian, from the Downtown El Paso Library Main Branch, Suzanne Mancillas says, “We are trying to make the community aware of the Library and how our services can benefit them and even their children. We offer more than just books.”

   Jackson, who has a Master’s of Library and Information Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, says, this new partnership “opens up new sources of materials for our students.  You might notice how small our library is- we just don’t have the room for more resources.  We benefit from the share program because we don’t need to purchase thousands of dollars worth of materials”…Plus this joint effort sets a “good example for cooperation between private and public entities.” The library share initiative was Jackson’s idea, and almost 300 students have been granted Public Library cards, so far.

    With their library cards students not only have access to the public libraries’ books, microfilms, databases, films, and varied activities for them or their children, but they are also qualified to apply for the Texshare Card which would allow WTC students access to the University of Texas at El Paso and the El Paso Community College libraries and databases.  From summer camps to fashion shows to musical performances the library may have more to offer than you remember.