By snoadmin
A number of issues have set back Phase I of the University Library renovation, which was set to be completed today.
Phase I of the renovation includes the lower level and the first floor, which is planned to be finished by mid-February. However, the Starbucks Internet Café, which will be located on the first floor, is still set to open today, according to Scott Charmack, associate vice president of physical planning and facilities management.
The renovation is two to three weeks off, Charmack said. The renovation has been set back due to issues that typically come up during any renovation project, such as finding things that weren’t supposed to be there.
Charmack said the blueprints for the renovation plan had to be very detailed, but during the construction the conditions were somewhat different. For example, things not listed on the blueprints were there, such as ceilings. Those things had to be worked around.
Issues can make the renovation go over budget, but according to Charmack, the renovation is still on its $25 million budget. The plan is to stay within the budget because it is all that’s available for the renovation.
“[The construction] is a little behind, but it’s not significant,” said Henry Dubois, administrative services librarian. He added that there are always “things unforeseen.”
A problem that is expected will be during Phase II, when the second and third floors of the library will go under construction.
“There can be no public access to floors two and three during Phase II,” Dubois said. “About two-thirds of the library’s bookshelves will be accessible to students from mid-February until June, and perhaps beyond, only through paging.”
Dubois recommends that students think about which books they may need during the spring semester and to either check them out or put them on reserve because once Phase II begins, getting books will be more difficult.
Because the second and third floors will not be safe to walk around, staff has been trained to go in after construction begins to get books.
Another way to deal with the problem, besides reserving books early, will be to use the Link+ system and bring in books from other campuses.
“It’s a big problem,” Dubois said. “One way or another, we will be able to provide the books.”
Dubois continued by mentioning that although it is a big problem, knowing about it beforehand is a good thing because faculty and students can be alerted ahead of time.
Once Phase I is completed, the lower level will have current periodicals, microtext collections, media, reserves and maps available, according to Dubois. The first floor will have a new circulation desk, information commons, public restrooms, a reference desk and interlibrary services.
The computer lab from the lower level will be moving up to the first floor and upgraded, because of a $500,000 donation made by Bob Spidell, a CSULB alumnus.
“The [Spidell Information Commons] will have about 200 state-of-the-art computers which Cal State Long Beach students can use for research and other work related to their education,” Spidell said. He said he hopes faculty will also use the computers.
Once the whole project is completed, which according to Dubois is currently expected to be at the end of 2007 or early 2008, it is anticipated that students will be happy with the changes.
Dubois said that students don’t really know what’s going on in the library or with the renovation and that they will be pleased and surprised once they see the finished product. The changes coming to the library, especially the integration of the Starbucks Internet Café, are expected to be a positive change to the campus.
The Café will provide a “nice atmosphere for students,” according to Dubois. That, in exchange, will enable students to use more of the services offered by the library, he said.
Charmack also believes that the library will become “a better studying environment space” for students. It will be a more efficient environment not only because of the new Café, but also because there will be better information and more usable collections ready to be used by students, Charmack said.
“It’s well-known that local Barnes & Noble and Borders stores, with their integrated coffee bars, are areas that students have found a welcoming atmosphere for studying and collaboration,” Dubois said. “The library will offer the same kind of hospitality and connectivity without the need to leave campus.”
