Claire T. Carney Library Building Changes in January 2012

To:  UMass Dartmouth Students, Faculty and Staff

From:

Terrance Burton, Dean of Library Services
Donna Massano, CIO and Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology

Subject: Library Building Changes in January 2012

The next phase of the Claire T. Carney Library expansion and renovation project will take place in January 2012. It will bring a dramatic change in how the library building will be used during the spring semester and summer months. The concentration of collections, services and people onto the 4th and 5th floors and a small area of the lower level will be inconvenient. It will be very different from what people expect from a library but it is what needs to be done in order to complete the public portions of the renovation and addition for the start of the Fall 2012 semester. The patience and understanding of the entire university community during this time is greatly appreciated.

Below is an itemized list of temporary service and location changes.

1. Library Floors 4 and 5

The renovation of the 4th and 5th floors will be complete in mid-January. The floors are transformed into modern study and work spaces. Furniture and carpeting are new. Windows have been replaced. Restrooms are completely renovated. The climate control system has been upgraded. Books stacks are aligned differently on the 5th floor. Staff offices only (no collections) are present on the 4th floor.

2. Library Floors 1-3

In order to renovate floors 1-3, all people and materials need to move to another location. Most of the staff and materials will relocate to the 4th and 5th floors. All collections that will stay in the building will be moved to the 5th floor.

All of the student study seating will be on the 5th floor. This means there will be a limited number of seats available.

Circulation/Reserve and Reference services will be temporarily available at a combined desk on the 5th floor.

The computer labs will be located on the Library Lower Level and the Learning Commons Service Desk split, with computer help and printing on the Lower Level and Reference on the 5th floor .

Mobile Computing Loan Program (MCLP) will be located on the Library Lower Level.

3. Office of Faculty Development

The Office of Faculty Development will continue to hold events throughout the spring semester; however, the faculty lounge area will be temporarily closed. The new mailing address will be announced at the beginning of the semester.

4. Lab Reservations

Because of the Learning Commons renovation on the Library 1st floor, there is a significant reduction in the number of student workstations. To make available as many computers as possible, a “No Reservation Policy” will be in effect until the Learning Commons reopens in the Fall 2012 semester. This means that neither the Library Lower Level training rooms nor LARTS 216 may be reserved for instruction.

5. Access to the Building

In order to gain access to the upper floors, people will use the elevator or north stairs. These stairs will go all the way from the 1st through 5th floors. A minor renovation will happen prior to the start of the spring semester in order to open up this stairway. The elevator renovation will begin during the spring semester. There will always be one elevator available for public use. The only public space on the 1st floor will be a limited area between the entrance, elevator and stairs.

Access from the Parking Lot 13 and the Charlton College of Business will remain unchanged with the access to the building via the Loading Dock.

Terrance Burton
Dean of Library Services
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road voice 508-999-8664
North Dartmouth MA 02747 email tburton@umassd.edu

Donna R Massano
CIO and Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road voice 508-999-8043
North Dartmouth MA 02747 email dmassano@umassd.edu