Construction workers hastened to complete the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, the newest addition to the University library system, in time for the start of classes. Some of the remaining parts of the new facility that will house the University's rare books and materials are slated to be completed by mid-November, according to University Library spokesperson Charlotte Morford.
Morford said the Special Collections Library was officially up and running on Aug. 25.
"We were racing to get it open by the start of classes," Morford said. "What we wanted to do was try to make the special collections available to students and faculty by the start of classes."
The three-year construction project was completed quickly considering that 80 percent of the new building is underground, Morford said.
"It's simply a rolling process because it is a fairly complex undertaking, creating a building like this and creating it quickly, as well as moving all of the special collections and all of the staff and all of the equipment," she said.
Other areas of the 72,000 square-foot building are still undergoing construction, such as the Mary and David Harrison Institute for American History, Literature and Culture, which will open to the public in stages over the fall, said Heather Riser, head of public services at the Special Collections Library.
"We have pretty much finished the move but there are still some areas of the building that are under construction," she said. "There are a couple of exhibit areas left."
Although the University has not hired additional staff to man the new building, staff members from the original special collections facility as well as Clemons, Alderman and Clark libraries are assisting in the changeover, Morford said.
"Staff from the other libraries are pitching in to help guide people around the building and answer questions," she added.
According to Special Collections Stack Supervisor Greg Johnson, the move has not always been easy. Johnson said he experienced problems with Virgo, the library search engine, when it went down for a few hours yesterday.
"We are adjusting," he said.
According to Morford, yesterday's technical difficulties were not related to the new facility.
Riser said she was excited about working in the new facility because it had more natural light than the old facility, the McGregor Room, located in the bottom of Alderman Library.
"I like it a lot," Riser said. "It's nice and light."
Morford said she believes the materials located in the new library are safer than they were in Alderman Library as a result of updated security provisions such as a new fire suppression system.
"It's a newer building and it has what is considered state
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