Library West Construction and Renovation Update

August 2003

Library West Construction and Renovation Update

The University of Florida Libraries remain on schedule to break ground for the Library West addition in November 2003. Renovation of the existing Library West building will begin in January 2004 and the entire construction/renovation process is scheduled for completion in 24 months. The new Library West will be a state-of-the-art facility featuring compact shelving and a greatly increased number of comfortable patron study areas. The library will feature a café and become a “gateway” presence to the historic University of Florida campus.

The first area to be impacted will be the Government Documents Department, now located on the second floor of Library West. The department will permanently move to the first floor of the Marston Science Library this October, and be located next to the Map & Imagery Library, which is a component of the department.

The anticipated two-year construction/renovation scenario is as follows:

• Library West will continue to function at the current level of service through the end of this fall semester. In January, all Library West staff will be relocated to other locations.

• Service points (reference and circulation) will be relocated to other library locations. Library users will be able to receive almost all of the services currently offered at Library West by going to Smathers Library (Library East) or the Marston Science Library.

• Library West collections will be relocated to a new off-site facility. They will be retrieved by library staff for patrons and will not be browsable during the two-year period. Retrieval from storage is expected to take 24 hours or less. Leaving the collections in Library West during renovation is not feasible because the conditions for the materials, staff, and users will be challenging  -- noise, power interruptions, dust, and water interruptions.

• The parking lot behind Library West that faces University Avenue will permanently close this November to make room for the addition.

• The newly expanded Library West will reopen in January 2006 with browsable collections, circulation and reference service points, enhanced computer facilities, group study rooms, and the return of staff offices.

Library staff will provide as much support to patrons as is humanly possible during this transition from the existing structure to the enlarged and greatly improved Library West.

The architects' proposed elevations, floor plans, interior illustrations, and information on the offsite book storage facility are currently available in a PowerPoint presentation from the UF Libraries’ Web site (www.uflib.ufl.edu), which requires PowerPoint for viewing.

Spacesaver has been chosen as the compact shelving vendor for the new library. They were chosen on the basis of price, national reputation, excellent references, and superior options and safety features.

For reliable and accurate information and updates concerning the construction and renovation, check the UF Libraries’ Web site at http://www.uflib.ufl.edu.

© 1999 University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries P. O. Box 117001  Gainesville, FL 32611-7001 Please read our disclaimer. Send comments and/or questions about this site to  Barbara Hood Last Updated August 4, 2003