The Florida Academic Library Services Cooperative (FALSC) announced this week that it recently launched the Florida Open Academic Library (FOAL) to help assist researchers, students and members of the community throughout the state in their teaching and learning.
As a virtual library, FOAL provides access to more than 1.25 million digital archives and collections curated by Florida’s colleges and universities.
“With over a million different unique pieces of content you never know what you may find in your search,” said Rebel Cummings-Sauls, the director of digital services and OER at FALSC. “By using FOAL, users don’t have to go to more than one library to find the resources they need, all the content is in one place. The content is curated by experts throughout the state who have spent time to scan and upload content to aid users in their research.”
Working in conjunction with Florida’s 40 public colleges and universities, the FOAL brings together PDFs, images, dissertations, theses, and other digital content for all users to access. Faculty are able to upload their scholarly work, bringing their research to a larger audience. Through FOAL, users have access to a myriad of resources relating to the state of Florida.
“The Florida Academic Library Services Cooperative is delighted to collaborate with Florida’s public colleges and universities to provide FOAL as a single search portal to discover and access content from unique archival collections,” said Elijah Scott, the executive director of FALSC. “Users of FOAL will discover content and materials that describe the rich and varied history of life and culture in the state of Florida.”
The Florida Open Academic Library is available to anyone with an Internet connection and a desire to discover. To explore all the resources available through the Florida Open Academic Library visit openlib.flvc.org.
FALSC operates the automated library system used by all public college and university libraries statewide – 40 institutions and 156 campus libraries – along with a shared catalog and a statewide collection of online journals, e-books, and e-resources. FALSC’s products and services are supported by librarians, developers, and technical staff who are dedicated to enhancing the library and learning experience of Florida’s students. FALSC was established as a division of the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC), administered by the University of West Florida’s Division of Research and Strategic Innovation (DRSI).
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