The libraries of The Catholic University of America provide resources and services integral to the intellectual endeavors of the University’s students, faculty, and staff. Collections in the humanities, social sciences, religious studies, and philosophy are located in the John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library, along with the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, and the Semitics Library/Institute of Christian Oriental Research. Separate campus libraries have specialized collections in architecture, engineering, music, library science, physics, biology, and nursing. Records of the University and manuscripts and artifacts that document the heritage of American Catholics are organized, preserved, and made accessible through the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives located in Aquinas Hall. The Mullen Library and campus library collections total more than 1.4 million volumes of journals, books, dissertations, and other research materials.

Graduate students have access to ALADIN as a benefit of CUA’s membership in the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC). ALADIN includes the online library catalog for CUA and other consortium members, as well as electronic journals, full-text and article citation databases, image collections, and Internet resources. Students with valid, updated borrowing privileges may access ALADIN from off campus. Additional databases on CD-ROM may be searched at workstations in Mullen Library.

For materials not available at CUA, eligible students may borrow directly from the WRLC libraries or request books, articles, and other items through the Consortium Loan Service or interlibrary loan. Many articles can be delivered electronically to the student’s myALADIN account.

PC workstations for ALADIN access are available in all libraries. Students also may connect to the Internet through the wireless network in Mullen Library and may borrow laptops and wireless network cards.

Assistance with research is available at reference desks in Mullen Library and the campus libraries, by email, and over the phone. Instruction in library research and the use of electronic resources is sponsored by Reference & Instructional Services, with hands-on sessions held in Mullen Library’s computer-equipped classroom. Students also have convenient access to the library resources of the Washington metropolitan area. These include the Library of Congress and many specialized public and private collections such as the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the National Archives, the National Library of Medicine, and the libraries of the Washington Theological Consortium.

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Matthew McNally, CIO
https://technology.catholic.edu/

The Technology Services provides computing and network facilities to students and faculty for their educational and research activities, supports the University’s information systems, manages the campus network, and provides information resources and telecommunication services. It also provides leadership on the ethical use of computing. Numerous public lab areas and classrooms are equipped with desktop computers. All residence hall rooms have network connections via a gigabit Ethernet campus backbone.

Technology Services supports Internet tools such as Web browsers (www.cua.edu), Telnet, FTP, and electronic mail. Numerous Web tools are also available for instructional and research purposes. Popular software programs for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh are supported in the public computing areas.

The campus network consists of Sun Microsystems servers and Intel servers running Solaris, VMS, Windows NT, and Linux operating systems, numerous workstations, and more than 1,500 networked Windows-based Intel-powered and Macintosh desktop computers, with direct access to the Internet and Washington Research Library Consortium. The central systems are accessible via direct connections on campus and remotely via the Web.

Technology Services issues a VMS and an NT account to all faculty, staff, and students. It provides students, faculty, and staff with an extensive computer education and training program. The CUA Computing website provides details about computing at CUA, including information about training, computing resources available, a knowledge bank, a computing guide, and activities underway.

The CUA Computing Information Center, located within Technology Services, offers service and support to the campus community. It provides answers to technology questions and fields telephone calls regarding assistance needed on campus. The information center has become a very effective clearinghouse for receiving, tracking, and resolving problems with technology on campus.

In addition, Technology Services provides service and support for all technology classrooms and computing areas on campus. A general computing area in Leahy Hall, with both MS Windows and Macintosh machines, is open 24 hours a day during the semesters. Other computer-equipped classrooms and computing areas are open and monitored by the group, and available for use by any CUA student, faculty, or staff member.

Students with special technology needs that fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should email defresnr@cua.edu or singere@cua.edu.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES

Caitlin Rothwell, Director
https://www.catholic.edu/resources/disability-support/index.html

The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) supports the missions of the Office of Dean of Students and the University by providing programs and services designed to support and encourage the integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream of the University community. DSS assists in creating an accessible university community in which students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of the educational environment. DSS partners with students, faculty, and staff to promote students' independence and to ensure recognition of their abilities, not disabilities.
• DSS coordinates support services for students with all types of diagnosed disabilities.
• DSS assists students in negotiating disability-related barriers to the pursuit of their education.
• DSS strives to improve access to University programs, activities, and facilities for students with disabilities.
• DSS promotes increased awareness of disability issues on campus.

Essential to the larger mission of the University, DSS promotes universally designed environments and facilitates full access through reasonable accommodations, training, collaboration, and innovative programming.

For further information, contact cua-dss@cua.edu or call 202-319-5211.

CONSORTIUM OF UNIVERSITIES

Cooperation among the institutions of higher education in the District of Columbia is provided by the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The consortium consists of 12 universities: American University, The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Marymount University, Southeastern University, Trinity University, University of the District of Columbia, and University of Maryland College Park.