Summer in the Library

It can feel like nothing is happening in the library over the summer when it’s often a time of some of the biggest changes within the building. The most obvious change this summer is the conversion of Java City to Starbucks. Circulation was stocked with ear plugs and put them to good use while the old floor was being jackhammered. The opening date changes on a daily basis but it will definitely be sometime this semester!

Starbucks construction

Another noise inducing change was moving lockers to make them more accessible. There are now banks of lockers on the 2nd and 4th floor (and a choice few on the 3rd floor) rather than sprinkled around the stacks. Lockers can be checked out for an entire semester.

Lockers on the 2nd Floor

Summer is all about new things. Archives bought some nifty new equipment with grant money to help them document the many treasures in their collection. Also on the second floor, study rooms were completely renovated with new whiteboards and furniture. And speaking of study rooms, our brand new study room reservation system allows students to make reservations on the quarter hour.

Study Room Reservation Screen

We had our own summer rainstorm inside the building when a pipe burst on the 2^nd floor. Fans ran nonstop for several weeks to dry out books. There are still some plastic sheets over some areas in the H’s in case of future leaks during Starbucks construction. Just let the Circulation Desk know if you need help locating a book in that area.

Drying books from above

One area you will no longer need help with is our bound periodicals. All the bound periodicals are on the mobile shelving on the 1^st floor and we are looking forward to forgetting about the time when we had volumes stacked against the wall.

The Coates Student Center staff camped out in the library while their offices were being renovated. We look forward to the time when they can return the favor; however, a Coates Library remodel is a bit farther down the road in the master plan. So far we don’t have any big building project planned for the year but there will definitely be some minor nips and tucks as Coates Library turns 40 next year. (Did you know the phrase nip and tuck turns 40 this year?)

Stop by the library and check out Starbuck’s progress and of course, take advantage of all the library resources!