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Show • -- THE CAMPUS TIIE ~TY JOURNAL• SOUT.tm.R.N UTAH UNIVERSITY• PIUDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1994 J I ' - - ~ ~ ~ ~-~~~~~~~'"--"-" - 1--~~~...........~ - - ~.....- - ~ ~.................................................~--~~--""'-.......~_.;.--............~~~~~--~~~~~~~~__;;..:....~-:J New library on schedule (continued from page 1) :.! ~ i .,.. ~ L - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~- ---_.;:_.;.--1• Diana Graff, Library director, is perhaps the most excited person on campus in regard to the new facility in progress. Construction worker and SUU student Bill Albritton labors to keep the library completion date on schedule. I The University enrolled some 5,000 this quarter. The current library, however, how houses 180,000 volumes and seats only 320 students. The University plans to renovate the existing library guiding for faculty offices, a new computer laboratory open to all students, the information systems functions of campus, and expanded space for instructional media. Design of the new library began about a year ago with the selection of the archi tectural firm of Fowler, Ferguson, Kingston, and Ruben (FFKR) of Salt Lake City. The design team was comprised of Louis Ulrich and Jim Lewis. University officials and the architects visited nearly a dozen libraries in five states before starting design work. Academic libraries of similar size had recently been built in Virginia and Maryland, and they provided a wealth of ideas for SUU's new building. Dr. David Kaser from the University of Indiana was the consultant for library services and technologies for the project. The building, ·which will be located at the southeast corner of the Student Center, will feature a large sky light at the northern entrance made of a protective green glass. Graff said that natural ultra violet light is not good for books. The new building will have four levels. Level one, called the garden level, will house the special collections of the library. The Palmer, Smith, Seymour, and Shakespeare collections of rare books and special artifacts will be located on this level. The Tanner Room, endowed by O.C. Tanner, will be part of special collections, but will be accessible for parton use. The media collection of the library, comprised of maps, audio and video materials, will be stored on this level and will be available for patron use in special electronic carrells. Two classrooms for library instruction and bibliographic coursework complete this section of the building. The main or entry level of the building provides study and research space. The reference and serials collections will be on this level. Electronic research capabilities will be available at nearly 44 computer stations. Current periodicals, a copy center, and the circulation desk will also be on this floor. New technology will enable patrons to check out their own books, saving staff time and patron waiting. The next level provides shelves of books and extensive study space for students and faculty. A large reading room with individual tables and carrells combines with group study rooms for a variety of types of space for study. The building will have about 11 rooms for groups of students or faculty to study or collaborate on research projects. The rooms vary in size from four to 10 occupants. The top level will house faculty and staff offices,technical services, collection development, and space for additional book shelves and study are areas. The library professional staff now numbers 14, five FTE behind peer institutions. The office area will have modest expansion space for staff as new faculty are hired in the future. "The goal of the University is to have the best medium-sized library in the country," Graff said. "This facility will provide the space we need to fulfill that goal. We are aggressively building the collection, implementing current computer and other technologies, and adding the resources students and faculty need. " When asked about rumors that the on-going construction is behind schedule she is quick to put the issue to rest. Graff points out that, although the progress fell behind by about five weeks earlier this year, the work is now very close to schedule. Currently the construction crew has completed the basic structure of three of the four levels. Completion of the exterior of the building is scheduled for Sept. 15, 1995. Throughout the fall quarter, carpet will be installed as well as other final additions to the interior. The facility should be fully operational by the first day of winter quarter, January 1996. Artist's rendition of the new SUU library that is scheduled to be completed at the close of fall quarter next year. |