Students have access to a variety of computing resources, including simulations used in classes.
The Age of Information Technology
The first computers for student use were installed in Jackson Library in 1983. In 2007 the School manages over 1,000 personal computers and has network storage capacity of over 14 terabytes.
The School's computing power grew quickly in the early days. A CD-ROM database of SEC data was added in 1987; the first full-text article database arrived in 1991; and by 1999 Jackson Library was on the internet. In addition to commercially available computing tools, the School uses a variety of custom-built programs for teaching and research.
Professor Jim Lattin uses a tool that simulates a sales force to teach his elective in sales force management and a factory simulation created by Professor Sunil Kumar and former faculty member Sam Wood has won national awards.
Today the Library's web page and toolbar are the major portals to business and research information at the GSB. Over 80 databases are available to GSB faculty, students, and staff and are widely used in teaching, research, and the business of the School. Most academic journals are now available electronically and, many thousands are available between Jackson Library and the Stanford University Library system. Financial databases such as Bloomberg and Datastream are available in the library's "Traders' Pit" and are used in the classroom to demonstrate potential trading and investment strategies. The Jackson toolbar sits on every desktop and provides immediate and customized links to all major library resources.
In 2001, Jackson Library and the Lifelong Learning Department collaborated to provide access to six library databases for alumni. Life members of the Alumni Association have free access to eight databases and can call on library staff for assistance for search strategy consultation. The Alumni toolbar provides all alumni customized desktop access to both library and Alumni Association resources.