Thursday, May 3, 2007

Grinnell College Libraries: Summer Projects 2007

The Libraries will be unusually busy between May 22 and August 1. We will open the new Science Library in Noyce Phase 2, and make several changes on the first floor of Burling to improve lighting, accessibility, and services. This will involve shifting collections, drilling and construction, and some general disruption. We will do our best to maintain services. However, we encourage all faculty and students who might need library collections for MAPs or other summer research to plan ahead and to ask for assistance. We will generally be able to retrieve items that are en route to some new location.

Thanks in advance for your understanding, and please let me know if I can answer questions.

-- Richard Fyffe, Librarian of the College (
fyffe@grinnell.edu, 269-3351)

Science Library: May 22-30

Move the science collections out of Burling to Science Library and offsite storage. For details see
http://www.lib.grinnell.edu/collections/ScienceLibrary/Sciencemove.html

Inaugurate Science Library services: May 29

Burling Reference Reconfiguration: June and July
We will create a new computer commons in the northeast alcove (by the windows) for study, research and teaching. The newly reconfigured alcove will feature 12 workstations (Macs and PCs) at sit-down tables. The tables will accommodate single users as well as small groups of users working together. The furniture will be similar to that in the Creative Computing Lab. We will create a new reference consultation area near the center of the reference area.

For more information please see Burling Reconfiguration.

Upgrade Burling First-Floor Lighting: June
We will install new overhead lighting in the northeast and northwest alcove areas, between the circulation and (old) reference desks, and in the (new) reference area. Many students used the LibQUAL survey to comment on the dim lighting in Burling.

Accessible Restroom in Burling: June
We will build an accessible restroom on Burling 1st floor near the elevator.

Door Openers for Burling Main Entrance: early June
We will install automatic openers on the main entrance doors.

Shift collections in Burling: May 29-August
With the departure of the science books and journals from the 4 th floor of Burling, the collections remaining in Burling will be reorganized and shifted to allow for continued growth.