Students returning to campus this fall discovered an expanded and more secure Overnight Study option at the Library. To replace the 24-Hour Room, which had to close in anticipation of construction, the entire first and second floors of the main Library have been made available for Overnight Study to students, faculty, or staff with a current UCSB ID. In comparison to the old 24-Hour Room, Overnight Study offers more than double the number of study spaces, and includes access to computers, printers, copy machines, and reference books. Campus safety personnel are on site throughout the night. In addition, a new Graduate Study Room has been created on the second floor.
Another change is the relocation of the coffee cart that was at the east entrance to the Library. Since the two-story section of the building will be renovated, the Library worked with the UCen to relocate the coffee service to just inside the main west entrance for the duration of the construction project. Coffee and snacks are very important to many Library users, and the expanded space now offers a wider range of food and study supplies.
The Library Addition and Renovation Project will require the relocation of some collection materials-some temporarily, some permanently. In identifying ways to minimize the adverse impact of these shifts, we worked this summer with the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Library Collection Space Planning, made up of faculty and graduate students. As a result, the Library will be creating a new offsite location called West Stacks. The West Stacks facility is located in a nearby building complex and will provide short- and long-term storage space for the Library, eventually replacing both Annex I and II. All materials at West Stacks will be retrievable, and we are in the process of designing enhanced access services and limited patron access to offset the inconvenience of having to wait for physical delivery. Stay tuned for more information.
Other changes you will notice in the building are the relocation of the new books area and current newspapers, digital screens in the lobby to deliver quick communications about the building project and library information, and an exhibit about the Library’s history and future.
Looking ahead, we will be working closely with the construction management company to determine project phasing and construction working hours that will cause the least disruption to Library users. The Library is committed to avoiding diminution of services and ensuring continued access to all materials. Though we are months away from groundbreaking, the pre-construction phase is in full swing.
Please contact Mark Hartell, Building Project Coordinator, at project [at] library [dot] ucsb [dot] edu with any questions or thoughts.
