Officials from Alden Library and facilities improvement have begun looking for an architectural consultant to help plan library renovations during the next few years.
The chosen consultant, to be selected by a panel of library and facilities officials, will aid the university in developing a blueprint that will guide a complete library renovation, said Gary Hunt, associate dean for administration for Alden Library.
The library building is well over 35 years old
and while some parts of it have been refurbished there are a lot of areas that still need to be addressed Hunt said.
A central reason for the library's renovation is how technology has advanced over the decades, said John Kotowski, associate vice president of planning and implementation.
The way we use libraries has changed since it was first opened
Kotowski said. Functionally
it needs to be revamped.
A greater emphasis on areas suited for group study and technology might be part of the master plan. The heavy traffic in the recently-renovated second floor Learning Commons has shown officials that the library needs more open-air areas, Hunt said.
The master plan may also address reorganizing the current layout of the library, he said.
When students talk to us
one of the things that they mention is that the building is confusing
he said. We want to try to address the building organization and have a more logical
easy-to-use layout.
In addition to developing the master plan, the consultant will create cost estimates and a time frame for the library's renovations. Hunt said any construction will take place during the course of several phases, each costing about $1 million, and he estimated the project will last about six years.
The consultant also will help to determine how to renovate without closing the entire building, Kotowski said.
What we've got to do is do the construction work and
at the same time
keep the library open and operational
Kotowski said, adding that he looks forward to the opportunity to renovate the library and make it more accommodating to faculty and students.
The library is a facility I characterize as the heart of the university
