Luke's library - a history of successful changes

  • Published
  • By Erica Reece
  • 56th Services Squadron library technician
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The Luke Library has always been an integral part of the base community-- a comfortable literary oasis for Airmen and their families. As early as 1958, the library was a well established facility located in the heart of the base, southeast of the little white chapel. 
 
According to the 1958 base guide, "Resources and services available at the base library are very complete, in addition to the selection of fiction and nonfiction books covering a wide range of subjects." The guide also describes the facility as having more than 120 magazines and daily newspapers including the Wall Street Journal; a music room; a public typewriter; interlibrary loan service for study purposes and a completely equipped map room. 

In the early 1970s, the facility moved across the parking lot into another former barracks building that was larger and air-conditioned; two changes that were welcomed by the library staff. 

Dulcie Sullivan, 56th Services Squadron library technician, remembers "Back then, smoking was allowed in the library so we had to wash ashtrays, check seat cushions for cigarette butts and call the fire department every night before closing." 

In July of 1988, the library moved again into a building that is now the Community Center. The larger facility allowed for more programs and events to include financial planning and overseas permanent-change-of-station preparation workshops and children's programming.
 
In 1990, due to the education enrollment statistics, the library began to increase resources devoted to professional education and college degrees. The library worked closely with the education office to provide materials specifically chosen to support the degree programs on base as well as the professional military education classes. Over the years, the library has significantly expanded its collection of both book and audiovisual test preparation materials.
 
In 1993, the base began subscribing to the National Technical Information Service which allowed access to the defense/aeronautical reports from the Defense Technical Information Center. Beginning in 1996, DTIC provided an automatic document delivery service and any reports published with the keywords "F-16" or "LANTIRN" were automatically sent to the base library for inclusion in the collection.
 
Also that year, the library established an electronic link through the Dialog database that automatically sent electronic copies of any article pertaining to Luke that appeared in the Washington Post or Los Angeles Times, to Luke's public affairs office.
 
Over the years, the library has won countless awards to include numerous Tactical Air Command public relations awards, four Best Library in the Air Education and Training Command Awards and the 2000 Best Library in Air Force Award. 

As technology develops, the Luke Library will continue to change. The facility started with a single typewriter in 1958 and is currently equipped with more than 20 high-speed Internet computers and a wireless network hub. The library has always been committed to meeting patron's technological needs. This signifies the long-standing tradition of providing excellent customer service and mission support which will continue at the Luke Library.