Olin Library has new look; construction winding down

Students and faculty returning to the Hilltop Campus after the winter break might have been a little confused when they tried to enter Olin Library.

That’s because the entrance was moved on Dec. 29 from the east side of the building to its new, permanent location on the south. Stack areas on all levels are complete, including Level 3, which reopened over the break, as did Level 1.

The only areas not yet finished are the Crossroads Café, the grand staircase and a reading room on the east side of the building (just inside where the east entrance used to be).

Once inside, visitors encounter an array of improvements throughout the building, including a dramatic new look and arrangement of services on Level 1.

Several key services have been brought together in a single space, behind a curved “shared services desk” called the Help Center. This is the place to go to check out or return books, or to get help with reference questions, interlibrary loan or locating materials.

Comfortable seating and study tables can be found on all levels. The addition of small-group studies makes it convenient for people to work on projects together without disturbing those around them.

Level 1 also now houses many of Olin Library’s most popular collections, including the Reference Collection, the PopLit Collection, newspapers and current journals. Some 36 public-access computers are along the west wall for doing research, surfing the Web or e-mailing.

Finishing work continues in some interior spaces as well as on the exterior of the building and the plaza in front of the new entrance.

The plaza brings a new emphasis to the library and serves as a focal point on the Hilltop Campus. This area will be a key crossroads and gathering space; retaining walls along the new walks will provide casual seating.

During the finishing work, Olin Library will be open its regularly scheduled hours, just as it has been throughout the renovation.

Now that all stack areas have reopened, books and other items in the collections are in the process of being moved to their permanent locations; this will take several weeks.

Certain materials may not be immediately available; in particular, DVDs and items from the “hold” shelf may be temporarily unavailable. However, library staff members will retrieve requested materials as quickly as possible.

All remaining work on the library is scheduled for completion by May. A rededication ceremony at 3:30 p.m. May 7 will be followed by an open house and tours of the facility.