New and Improved — by Elizabeth Jemar

“Excuse the mess,” says Shannon Hofer, a Librarian at the Byrnes-Quanbeck Library, when asked about the renovation. Work at the Library this past month has been interesting. The construction in the Library has been going smoothly, thus far. Wireless internet is now up and running. However, there is no running water. To clean the library they have been hauling buckets from the Classroom Building, for there is dust everywhere. In addition books keep piling up all over, waiting to be shelved in their new proper locations.  The library staff is doing a massive shift, moving all the books around to keep them in the correct order, both during the construction and as preparation for the new addition.

This sounds like a terrible inconvenience, but in spite of all the trouble the interior is looking pretty cool. New lights are being installed with new ceiling tiles and new carpet was put in as well. All of this gives the library a new modern look. In the near future, they are expecting an elevator to be installed giving handicapped access to the periodicals in the basement. The new temporary entrance (pictured) is located by the greenhouse outside of the Classroom Building. Library staff  request that students and staff carefully use this entry until the original entrance is finished next summer.

When asked what she is most looking forward to with the new design, Shannon replied, “For it to be finally done.” The Library should be completely finished next summer, in time for the fall semester to begin.

Printed in The Orbit 09/15/2010