Construction noise to end this fall
Utah State University has been looking to replace the Merrill Library for nine years and now the completion of the new Cazier Science and Technology Library is approaching the finish line.
Associate Director for Public Services John Elsweiler said Jacobson Construction is aiming to finish the library in August as planned, but they still have to move everything in.
“It’s probably going to take four to eight weeks to move in,” Elsweiler said.
To complete the task of transferring the materials from the Merrill Library, a moving company has been hired to help move all the books from the Merrill to the new library. The strategic design of the new library will allow library to grow for 25 years, Elsweiler said.
“This gives us our growth for the future,” Elsweiler said. “[The new library] has the capacity to handle a million and one half volumes,” Elsweiler said.
In addition to the immense volume of resources, there will be six classrooms in the new library, Elsweiler said.
“Chances are they won’t be available for the fall semester, but they will be available for spring,” he said.
If students are looking for a book during the move-in process, they will go to the circulation desk and workers will find it for them, instead of students searching individually, he said.
“We plan on paging the material during the transition,” Elsweiler said.
The new automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) will be available for student use in the fall. This system will be the first one in a Utah library. The system uses the library’s online catalog to locate a requested book.
Students click a button online to bring up an electronic form. The form asks for the information that the computer needs to process the request. An operator will tell the robotic crane to get the shelving unit and the book will be given to the student, Elsweiler said. Students can also watch the process through windows that will be on the third and fourth floor study lounges.
Journals and microforms will be stored and newer books will be on open shelving. According to a USU Web site, the process will be much faster, easier to find books, and cost-effective.
Another feature of the new library will be the faculty seminar area, which will be located on the second floor in the Faculty Assistance Center for Teaching (FACT) area, Elsweiler said.
This space will help the faculty use course material, WebCT and provide a place for faculty to get together to present material and demonstrate teaching methods.
Along with new construction come closures for remodeling. Starting April 18, there will be areas closed down in the SciTech Library for remodeling.
“We understand this is disrupting the students,” Elswieler said.
But he said he also wants students to recognize that it will be a nicer area after the remodeling is complete.
The second floor landing area will be closed, but “Club SciTech,” what some students have called the area on the west side of the second floor, will be there for students to meet and talk. The third floor and the basement will be available for quiet study, Elsweiler said.
Demolition of the 74-year-old Merrill Library is anticipated in the Spring Semester of 2006. With the completion of the Cazier Science and Technology Library, and the many enhancements to library services it has to offer, saying good-bye to the old Merrill Library might be a bit easier.
-sdobson@cc.usu.edu