Library staff makes preparations for remodeled facility

By INGA LUKAVICIUTE

Moving can be a bumpy ride, but the staff of the Henry Madden Library is determined to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“We will try to make it as easy as we can for everyone,” said Susan Mangini, assistant to the library dean.

Things will be changing slowly during the summer, Mangini said, but in fall 2005, students will find the same library services in a few different locations.

The shutting of the library offices is part of the three-year $91-million library expansion project.

The older sections of the library will be demolished starting spring 2006 and the construction of the new library building will begin. The expansion project is to be completed in fall 2008. The new library will not only increase in size, but will also feature state-of-the-art technology and equipment, a café, personal study areas for graduate students and more general study areas, Mangini said.

During the transition period, some books and other library materials may not be instantly available, but library staff will help get the requested material as fast as possible. Mangini described what differences to expect in main uses of the library for the fall 2005 semester.

Books and periodicals

Starting fall 2006, the stacks of books and periodicals will be moved to a warehouse in south Fresno. A small number of staff and student assistants will be working there, pulling the books and stacking them, Mangini said.

The process for checking out books will be different. Library users will not be able to browse through books and periodicals, as before. They will have to use ALIS, the Madden library search engine, to locate the materials they need and then place the request for them via fax, the Internet or in person.

Library staff will go to the warehouse three times a day, in the beginning to retrieve the requested materials and deliver them to the library for pickup, Mangini said.

Current periodicals will be processed in the Renaissance Room, east of the library, but will be available in the south wing of the library. The interlibrary loan office will also move to the Renaissance Room.

The electronic database will not change and will be fully accessible through the library’s Web site online, Mangini said.

Mangini said Government documents, maps, curriculum/juvenile, current periodicals, microfilms, music and media library, Arne Nixon center. Central Valley political Archives and Special collections will remain in the south wing, the newer section of the library.

Computers

Students who use library computers will notice the decrease of computers available in the south wing.

The library will pay to keep the computer lab in the agriculture building open from 5 to 8 p.m. to accommodate students wanting to use the computers, Mangini said.

The Associated Student senate discussed at its meeting Thursday night, the recommendation from the Finance committee to fund 100 additional laptops for the library. If recommendation is accepted, 100 more laptops will be available for students to check out at the library, Mangini said.

Study Space

Those who come to the library to study will be affected the most because there will only be a small study area in the south wing. Some of the library’s study cubicles will be moved to the Student Union, and university officials are identifying other locations that will be turned into study space, Mangini said.

As the largest academic library in the San Joaquin Valley, the Henry Madden library is well used.

Freshman Diana Rodriguez spends up to eight hours in the library studying in between and after classes. Rodriguez uses the computer lab, laptops and the library’s reference section.

Although she does not know much about the transition process the library is undergoing, Rodriguez said.” I am not worried, [library officials] should know what they are doing.”

“It will be a good thing for the library to expand,” said freshman Juan Mendoza, who comes to the library daily for typing papers and research.

“I think it will be difficult while they are undergoing constructions,” junior Rachel White said. “At the end it will be a better place for the community.”