Recently in Library Renovations Category

Getting help while in the Paley Library stacks can sometimes be a challenge. If no library workers are immediately available, seeking assistance requires a trip to the first floor. That can mean a time-consuming walk down the main stairway or an elevator wait. To alleviate that situation and improve the availability of quick help when needed, four service phones have been added to the Paley stacks. The four beige phones are found on central columns, well marked with signs, on both the east and west sides of the second and third levels.

The phones directly dial one of five different numbers. The menu is as follows:

1- Campus safety and security
2 - Locating books (call the access service desk)
3 - Reference & Research Assistance (calls the reference desk)
4 - Campus Computer Help Desk
5 - Library Hours

We encourage our library users to make use our new service phones to quickly call for help as needed from our library stacks.

- Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian

As part of a larger plan to upgrade and enhance the Paley Library first floor computing area, new types of computer workstations are being considered. One prototype of a new workstation is currently on display in Paley Library, located in the center of the first floor computer area. Here are photos of the prototype:

We urge our students to visit the Paley Library to give this prototype a personal use. Try it out. Then let us know what you think of it. Does it provide enough space? Is it comfortable to use? Is there enough privacy or too much? What do you think would work better? Share your feedback by adding a comment to this post or use our online suggestion box. We look forward to providing a variety of new furniture that will make this area a better workspace for our students.

- Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian

We hear you. You've told us you want better study spaces - and as much of it as we can provide. To better accommodate the needs of our library user community we've recently upgraded several spaces on the second and third floors of the Paley Library. These areas are all newly carpeted and new, comfortable chairs, many with tablet arms, are available in several of the improved study areas. Here are photos of two of the nine enhanced study spaces:

These new study spaces will be found on the far ends of both the second and third floors of Paley Library. Look for them in center and/or corners of these areas. We hope you enjoy these improved spaces. If you would like to provide feedback or suggestions for additional enhancements, please use our suggestion form.

- Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian

Paley Library's entire collection of 2,300 current print scholarly journals, newspapers, and popular magazines has moved from Paley's ground floor to new shelving on the first floor.

Overall, the University Libraries subscribe to more than 20,000 journals and magazines with the latest in cutting edge research, scholarship and opinion. A large number of these subscriptions are now exclusively online with no print equivalent received.

However, there are many fine journals and magazines available only in print. Bringing these 2,300 periodicals to the well-lit and comfortable first floor of Paley Library will not only convenience readers, but will help to build awareness that print resources continue to be invaluable even in the age of online information.

An additional 200 current print journals in scientific fields, architecture and engineering are held in SEAL, the Science, Engineering & Architecture Library on main campus.

During Fall 2007 we will partially renovate and re-equip the ground floor space formerly occupied by the current periodicals collection to form a new Media Services Department offering audio and video collections as well as playback equipment configured for individual and group listening and viewing.

Look for progress reports on Media Services during the fall semester!

Jonathan LeBreton
Senior Associate University Librarian

*** As of July 21, the closing dates have been revised. See new dates on the schedule below. ***

As previously announced, the Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematical Sciences libraries will close later this month. This article describes the redeployment of books and journals, the relocation of library staff, and the collection and services to be offered in a newly created Science, Engineering and Architecture Library.

New locations for science materials
Most older and lesser used materials will be moved into the new Library Depository, a closed-stack shelving and retrieval facility which opened in late June. Materials going to the Depository include books more than 13 years old that have not circulated in the past ten years and bound journals that are available in full-text electronically, such as titles available via Science Direct, American Chemical Society, Nature Online, and the American Physical Society. In addition, all journal volumes published before 1985 will be sent to the Depository.

Some materials will be moved to Paley Library including bound journal volumes published after 1984 and books published before 1997 that have been borrowed in the past ten years. All material currently housed in the Mathematical Sciences library will be moved to Paley Library.

The newest materials from the science libraries will be consolidated in the location previously occupied by the Engineering & Architecture Library, which will be reconstituted as a Science, Engineering and Architecture Library.

The Science, Engineering and Architecture Library (SEAL)
The new Science Engineering & Architecture Library will include current issues of print journals, a collection of reference materials and the most recent ten years of monographs in architecture, biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, physics and general science. Architecture bound journals will be held in SEAL. Services will include reference, course reserves, and library instructional services. We will also offer a slate of new online services such as Instant Messaging reference, new book lists, a SEAL blog site featuring new tools, resources, library events and news. Twenty-two computer workstations will be available and SEAL will offer expanded service hours seven days a week.

The Move
The transfer of materials to the Depository is already well underway in the Paley Library. Movers will start to work in the branch libraries in the later part of July. The Libraries will close the day before the movers arrive.

Scheduled dates of library closings, as of July 21st:

Physics Library, Tuesday, July 25 at 5pm
Chemistry Library, Friday, July 28 at 5pm
Biology Library, Friday, July 28 at 5pm (Previously August 1st)
Mathematical Sciences Library, Monday, July 31 at 4.30 pm (Previously August 3rd)

The Library catalog is updated daily as the move progresses to clearly indicate the new location of materials. Items relocated to the Depository may be requested using a form linked to each record in the catalog. Books will be delivered to Paley or SEAL within 24 hours and needed journal articles will be delivered via email. For more information about the new Library Depository, see the Temple Times article of April 27, 2006, the Library Blog article of June 21, 2006, and the Depository FAQ.

Staff
The library closures and other changes also mean changes for several of our staff. Joyce Dennis, Bibliographic Assistant (BA) in the Mathematical Sciences Library, has elected to take a position in the Collection Development Department in Paley Library. Joyce has a long history of library service at Temple, and already experienced an earlier transition when the library at TU-Center City was closed. Katerina Montaniel, currently in the Chemistry Library, will move to Access Services, as the BA with primary responsibility for the provision of services in the Library Depository.

Staff who will be located in SEAL include Gretchen Sneff, Head, SEAL Library, and librarian for engineering and architecture; Laura Lane, Science Librarian for physics, mathematics, geology and general science; Kathy Szigeti, Science Librarian for biology, chemistry, and computer science. Cathy Zabroski, Bibliographic Assistant currently in the Engineering & Architecture Library, will head circulation and supervise student workers in SEAL, and Marianne Sanville, BA currently in the Biology Library, will relocate to SEAL and oversee course reserves, collections and document delivery.

We hope that SEAL will become a popular gathering space for students in science, engineering and architecture. Having concentrated staff, services, and the most current books and journals across the sciences and engineering, SEAL will provide students and researchers the most current discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary information needed for study and research.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Gretchen Sneff, 215-204-4724, gsneff@temple.edu
Head, Engineering & Science Libraries

On Thursday June 22nd we will start to move designated materials from Paley Library to the Library Depository in the Kardon Building. The move of approximately 400,000 volumes from Paley Library will take 3 weeks. This move has to be done first to make room for materials moving from the libraries on main campus that are scheduled to be closed over the summer, including Zahn (already closed), Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, as well as to create more study space in Paley.

Materials being moved from Paley will show their new location in Diamond and the location will link to the form requesting materials from the Depository.

For more information on this important project see the Library Depository FAQ.

Jonathan LeBreton, checking progress on the installation of compact shelving in early June.

-- Penelope Myers

Zahn Library, located on the first floor of Ritter Annex, will cease operation at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2006.

Over the summer, the materials in Zahn will be distributed to Paley Library and the Library Depository. Once the items are moved, their locations will be updated in the online catalog.

During the transition, if you need journal articles from Zahn, use the intra-library loan article request form. Within 24 hours of your request (Monday-Friday), the article will be delivered to your email account as a PDF.

If you need books from Zahn, use the intra-library loan book request form and you will be notified by email when the book is available for you to pick up at the location you specify.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition.

Shirley Boyd, the Clerk at Zahn, will assume new responsibilities in the Urban Archives Department in Paley Library on May 15th.

Additional information about the Library Depository:
FAQ
Temple Times article, April 27, 2006

-- Carol Lang