The Learning Resource Center

The Marshall University Learning Resources Center at the Larry Joe Harless Community Center in Gilbert, West Virginia is a cutting edge facility for students in higher education. This electronic extension of the university provides a direct link to an array of associate, baccalaureate, and graduate courses as well as continuing education and workforce development opportunities.

Operated in a collaborative effort between Marshall University's Southern Mountain Center and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, the learning resources facility is open to college students, high school students, and the general public.

Full access to the Marshall University Library including its databases, books, periodicals and journals
Access to the West Virginia State Library System
General public access to the Internet and desktop computing
Satellite downlink courses and teleconferences
Live on-site instruction
Interactive video courses
On-line interactive computer courses
Continuing Education
Economic Development conferencing
Student advising
Admissions/registration/administrative service

This state-of-the art learning resource center provides access to the "electronic highway" for local communications and to the world beyond the mountains. Users will discover:

a full computer lab with 400+ pentium hardware and software to handle educational, professional, and casual appropriations.
satellite receivers for regional, national, and international teleconferences.
video projectors for group presentations interactive point-to-point dial up video for educational or professional groups that need to meet with counterparts at a distance.
computer ports to provide access for specialized events throughout the community center

The Larry Joe Harless Community Center/YMCA is a 61,500 square foot facility sitting on five acres beside the Guyandotte River at the intersection of Rt 52 and 80 in Gilbert, West Virginia. The projected opening date for the Center is May 1999. The center will offer a host of programs to residents of Mingo, Logan and Wyoming Counties.

The Center will host three "first run" movie theatres, which will seat approximately 543 people. All proceeds from the theatre will go into the Community Center to help with the funding of programs and discount memberships for youth and senior citizens of limited income.

The Board of Directors, Staff and Volunteers will work hard to provide facility to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities. This Center is for the community and we welcome anyone to come forward with program ideas they would be interested in teaching or learning so we can fulfill our missions of making the Center "the hub" of activity for all of southern West Virginia.

For more information about the community center see the Internet web site at www.ljh.org

The Marshall University Southern Mountain Center (SMC) is a collaboration initiative between MU and Southern West Virginia community and Technical College (Southern). The SMC's specific mission is to provide MU upper division courses, graduate courses, and special programs to student living in the southern mountain region of the State.

Southern sets the stage for SMC's success by providing quality first and second year courses that results in an associate degree and lead-in for a two + two bachelor degree. Current bachelor degree programs include BBA in Accounting, BA in Elementary Education, BSN in Nursing and the Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree. In addition, graduate courses in education and the adult and technical education are delivered in the region.

The SMC uses various methods to deliver programs and courses to the region. These range from faculty in the classroom, satellite delivery, and interactive television to emerging technologies such as computer based and Internet courses. The goal is to use whatever technology is available to enable students in the southern part of West Virginia and eastern Kentucky to continue their education beyond the associate degree level without leaving the region.