By Terry Saban

When I first came to The University of Alabama and walked the campus, I was overwhelmed by the sense of tradition. We at the University are grateful for those who have come before us and set such high standards, both athletically and academically.

But there’s another, perhaps even greater, reputation the University has earned in its years: academic innovation, inspiration, and the ability to consistently produce graduates who work every day, all over the world, to improve the lives of millions.

At the very core of this scholarly culture are our University Libraries: Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, Angelo Bruno Business Library, W. S. Hoole Special Collections Library, Eric and Sarah Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering, and McLure Education Library. Our Libraries must remain in the forefront with new resources and services, talented administrators, and 21st-century technology. The University’s libraries are our student’s and faculty’s most valuable research assets. Recently, after visiting Gorgas Library, our main campus library, which stands in a place of honor in the heart of the Quad, I became convinced of the need to improve our libraries in light of their ongoing role in higher education.

Nick’s mission statement for our team is to create an atmosphere and environment where every student athlete can reach their full potential, first as a person through good values and choices, secondly as a student by receiving a degree and being able to launch a career, and thirdly, as an athlete to have an opportunity to be part of a championship team. When applying his philosophy to all University students, our Libraries emerge as a critical partner in every student’s ability to achieve academic success.

Join us as we team up athletics and academics to ensure championship level success for all of our students. Great universities have great libraries.

For more information, please go to www.lib.ua.edu/thezone/