Observation, theory and experiment all contribute to research and education in the School. Access to the sea is provided by our two ships: R/V Thomas G. Thompson, a state-of-the-art 274-foot, 3000 ton vessel, can operate virtually anywhere in the world’s oceans and the 65-foot R/V Clifford A. Barnes works in Puget Sound, nearshore areas, and the Columbia River estuary. Technological advances have opened opportunities for new observing systems and the School is active in the ARGO float program, development of the SeaGlider system and the proposed NEPTUNE fiber optic telescope to inner space. Specialized shore-based laboratories offer unique facilities for experimental investigation and for analyzing samples collected at sea and drawn during experimental runs. Over 500 computers are connected to the School's network: desktops, laboratory controllers, data servers and special facilities for physical modeling, for spatial analysis and for drop-in student computing. Ocean Teaching Building houses the Fisheries-Oceanography Library, a branch of the UW Libraries. UW Libraries are nationally recognized for their initiatives in electronic accessibility to materials and in providing resources for effective teaching.