Changes & More Changes

Where to begin? As you probably know by now, this has been a hectic summer here at the library (and there are 3 hectic weeks left) . Lots of things have been going on, most of them dictated by the construction of the new Atrium next door. So now that work has been progressing and the start of classes is (gulp) just around the corner, this is a good time to update you on where we are, where we hope to be on the 8th and "a bunch of other stuff". We have to start somewhere, so...

1. The Atrium is coming along nicely. But, of course, it will be home to a variety of public, administrative and classroom spaces, not all of which will be ready right away. As far as the library is concerned, the main thing is that there will be access via the first floor student space, to be called the Global Learning Commons. Which brings us to big change #2...
2. The new entrance to the Library (the old entrance will be filled with public washrooms). While people get used to the new entrance we'll also maintain the temporary one looking on to the Quad, opposite the Student Centre. Of course, all of this means...
3. New service desks - for your convenience, all of our main service desks will be brought together on either side of the new entrance. Everything that we used to provide at the 2 Circulation and Services Plus desks in the old lobby will operate out of a single desk. This should be a win-win solution with shorter waits and less confusion. This will be the place to go if you want to check out or return books, buy print credits, book a study room or borrow a laptop (yes, we have laptops you can borrow). A few feet away will be a new and improved reference desk, with the same knowledgeable staff to help you with your information and research needs. Plus it will have a person to answer your IT questions. After passing between these desks you will find yourself in...
4. A new Reference Room - This space will be, effectively, the library's gateway and lobby. So we will be moving around the furniture and computer workstations, replacing the study carrels with tables, shifting the reference collection to the far (south) end of the room and, thankfully, installing new flooring (in a more "coffee-friendly" colour) throughout. You'll be better able to see all these changes because of...
5. The improved lighting - as part of a campus-wide green initiative, all of the lighting in the library is being upgraded. Not only does the new lighting consume less power, it is also brighter and easier on the eyes. They've just finished replacing all of the fixtures in Reference and they're now moving through the rest of the building, including...
6. The (former) Reserve Reading Room - this space at the far right end of the (former) lobby was always a quiet study area. But it never really caught on with students (out of the way? no natural light? too quiet?) and most of the time it was three quarters empty. So this year we are going to re-purpose this space by sub-dividing it into group study areas. Students have told us over and over again, especially in the LibQUAL surveys, that they need more places where they can work together on group assignments, so we'll try this and see how popular it is. Of course, many students avoid group study areas because of the noise they create. These students need a place for...
7. Quiet Study - again, one of the things that came through loud and clear in the LibQUAL surveys was that too often students were unable to find space in the library where they could work in silence, away from computers, cell phones, talking and general noise. We've struggled with this challenge of catering to a variety of study styles, trying to accomodate those who find a bustling library stimulating and don't mind ambient noise as well as recognizing the needs of those who crave a "distraction-free" place to read or reflect. So, as of next week, the second and third floors will be designated "Quiet Zones" where students will be asked to maintain a calm, peaceful environment, respectful of others. It's simple, straightforward and we hope it works!

So, yeah, there's a lot happening right now (with more to come). It should be an interesting year...