Since Facilities Manager Andrena Keesee started working at Middleton Library four years ago, she has wanted to accomplish her No. 1 goal – remodel the lobby, originally designed in 1955.
In an electronic survey taken last spring, students, faculty and staff voiced a need for a comfortable environment inside the library. To create an inviting atmosphere and to better serve its patrons’ needs, Keesee and staff members redesigned a new, open lobby, completed July 1, adding a new circulation desk, tables and chairs and a wall-divided section for the staff.
“I absolutely love the library’s new look. I wandered around, and the lobby seems a lot more open,” said Colleen Sutton, a cultural anthropology senior.
Beginning two years ago with a private donation, workers have been remodeling Middleton’s first floor, one section at a time.
Before renovation started, the lobby combined administration and circulation in one section located near the front doors. During the summer, a new circulation desk was bought and moved to the back of the library. Adjacent to the circulation desk, workers built a new wall with windows enclosing the staff’s offices and expanding the lobby’s area. Even though the partial walls provide security and privacy for employees, Keesee said the staff still is accessible.
“My main goal was to chop away at the clutter,” Keesee said.
With the circulation desk and staff area moved to one side of the library, Keesee said patrons have more room to sit at the new tables and chairs. Students also can gather at the lobby’s new ergonomically-designed bench located beside the new kiosk that displays library information. The bench’s design curves to fit the contours of the body making it a more comfortable seat. Plants soon will be added to complete the lobby’s new look.
“This design is not only inviting, but it works more functionally with the staff,” said Jennifer Cargill, dean of libraries. “The circulation desk and reference desk are even alike in design, which I think improves the library’s look.”
Taken from the library equipment budget, all lobby renovations and new furniture purchased cost $45,000.
Walking past the lobby, students also will notice new computers in Middleton’s public access labs.
During the summer, Office of Computing Services employees replaced all computers in labs 109 and 141 located on the first floor and 75 computers in lab 241 on the second floor, said Joel Williams, Computing Services applications consultant.
Spending $250,000 from the student technology fee, Computing Services workers replaced and upgraded the old computers from Pentium III to Pentium 4 with 17-inch monitor computers.
Explaining the choice in computer selection, Williams said, “We wanted this investment to have the longest, useful life. The computers’ memory and hard drive need to be as robust as possible two years from now for students to use.”
Computing Services also exchanged every computer mouse with new optical mice in all public access labs in the library and across campus. With maintenance not an issue, Williams said the new mice are very accurate and can work on any surface. Computing Services used $6,000 of the student technology fee to replace the mice for approximately 500 computers.
As a steady flow of students return to the library this semester, Cargill said she hopes patrons recognize the remodeled lobby and find the new computers helpful.
Renovation plans for next year involve designing acceptable areas for group study while designating areas for quiet study as well, Cargill said.