Library to open for use in nine months
The familiar crane at the Cazier Science and Technology Library is now dissembled and gone as the library advances, ahead of schedule, to completion.
The library construction is scheduled for completion on Aug. 1, said John Elsweiler, associate director of public services, said. The library should be open, in some way, to students on Sept. 1.
By March, the construction company is expecting to have the building “buttoned up,” Elsweiler said.
The windows and atrium will be in and they will be able to start controlling the interior climate, he said. With this, the construction workers can begin on the wiring, dry wall, painting and carpet, he said.
“Once spring comes, people will see what it really looks like,” Elsweiler said.
By January 2006, the staff and the more than 1.5 million volumes from the Merrill Library will be moved into the new library and will be ready for use, Elsweiler said.
Kent Clark, director of development libraries and instructional support, is in charge of the private fund raising.
He said many generous private contributions have been given for the building of the library.
The construction is being paid for by the state Legislature, he said. But a lot of the furnishing and acquisitions of books and journals are being paid for by private individuals, he said.
Currently, the private contributions for the library total $683,173, Clark said, which included all monetary donations and the value of gifts for the library since July 2003 and include those that came in response to President Hall’s appeal last fall, Clark said.
“A number of people have given gifts. We’ve gotten some really nice large ones, but we can always use more,” Clark said.
Those who contribute $5,000 or more can have a room in the library named after themselves or a loved one, Clark said.
That’s a good way to see that someone’s name is around the university for a long time and much easier than getting a whole building named for someone, he said. Clark said so far about 10 rooms have been named.
“We are really grateful to our donors and what they have done for the university,” Clark said.
In addition, there will be programs to be announced this spring tol allow private individuals to have tables, chairs and other items named after them, Clark said.
Caralee Evans, a freshman majoring in nursing, said she is looking forward to the new library.
“The Merrill is a great library, but it’s a little old and creepy,” she said.
Amy Christensen, a junior majoring in liberal arts, works at the Sci-Tech library. Christensen said since she has worked there, the construction hasn’t been too noisy or caused too many problems.
She said she is looking forward to the construction completion and opening of the new section.
“The new retrieval system will be automatic. It will be a lot easier to use,” Christensen said.
-jks@cc.usu.edu