If you notice anything different next time you walk through the doors of the Arrendale Library in Demorest, your eyes are not deceiving you! The layout of the main floor of the library has undergone a significant transformation this summer, and the differences are not likely to escape your notice.
For starters, most of the reference book stacks are gone. We removed outdated and duplicated reference materials, integrated subject-focused resources into the permanent collection, and condensed the print reference collection to the two remaining book stacks to the right of the lobby. This freed up 75% of the floor space on the dining hall side of the building, and we've used it to house all the public-access computers and create new collaborative workspaces. The former computer lab on the 3rd floor is now a quiet study area. We even carved out a cozy nook near the front of the building (with an excellent view of the Quad) for use as an open classroom. You'll find more seating options than ever before and you'll have more room to breathe, but you'll also be surprised at how much brighter the space has become -- many windows that were once blocked now reveal fantastic views of our beautiful campus.
The Library is very grateful for the work of its student assistants this summer, without whose help this project would have been impossible: Lewis Cassamajor, Amy Naylor, Alexa Quintero, Robby Bailey, Chez Maxwell, Brannon Shedd, Virginia Walton, and Teresa Gulley. In addition, this project involved all the members of the Library’s Demorest staff, in tasks ranging from database maintenance to disassembling bookstacks.
The third floor has come a long way this summer, but it is still evolving. We hope to install even more tables and chairs before the year is out. And then we'll turn our attention to the second and fourth floors. Next time you're in the neighborhood, drop in and see what we've been up to!
No comments:
Post a Comment