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Campaign Goals

Contributions to the campaign will fund an endowment. The annual interest generated by the principle, which will remain untouched, will be available to guarantee the ongoing operation of the Turfgrass Information Center, regardless of fluctuations in State and/or University support. In addition, these funds will provide for the following enhancements:

Additional Electronic Access to Full Text
Much of the information currently in the database consists of abstracts or summaries of articles. Unless the item has been loaded onto the World Wide Web, users interested in reading the entire item typically need to request a copy from the MSU Libraries or some other provider. Funding from the endowment will support the addition of entire articles when publisher approval can be secured.

Expanded Worldwide Access to the Turfgrass Information File
Currently, the online database is available only on a paid subscription basis, except at the TIC facility. Funding of the endowment will allow open access to the TGIF database itself for all users at no charge. This will enable all researchers, students, and practitioners anywhere in the world to access this informational resource.

Added Coverage
Another objective is to continue to expand the body of literature that is covered by the databases. Turf managers are increasingly required to engage in a wider range of land management issues, such as watershed and habitat management, land restoration and rehabilitation, water quality concerns, user safety issues, and environmental monitoring. Increased funding would be used to provide a fuller representation of publications, print and electronic, relating to these and other important turf-related issues.