Black,
White and Shades of Gray
Photographer/Reporter
:: Liz Livingtson
The grand opening of
Merrill-Cazier on Nov. 17 gave students
and the community the opportunity to tour
and learn about all the new library has
to offer.
The Merrill-Cazier
library used to be known as the Science
and Technology Library. Over the past year
it has undergone construction in an effort
to combine its materials with the Merrill
Library, which has closed.
With construction
finished, students are allowed to use the
library's new resources.
The new library brings
a more formal atmosphere to studying. The
floors are primarily tile or concrete with
carpet in some of the study areas. The rooms
are separated by breezeways or glass walls.
The atmosphere was
quiet and calm even though the Information
Commons, the new computer lab run by Student
Lab Services, was full with students. The
Information Commons is equipped with 150
computers. Some have their own scanners
and all of them have presentation software.
This area of the library also has its own
reference desk.
Perhaps the most impressive
part of the new library is the Borrower
Automated Retrieval Network (BARN) which
has viewing platforms on the second, third
and fourth floors. The volumes are stored
in metal bookcases which are stacked on
each other four floors tall and at least
50 yards deep.
"The BARN has
about 25 years of growth space," said Betty
Dance, a reference desk librarian for the
last 15 years.
The BARN has 525,000
volumes and a capacity to hold 1.5 million.
The basement of the
Merrill-Cazier library has the Special Collections
and Archives center. The center houses 83,000
books, 18,000 lineal feet of manuscripts
and archives and 350,000 photographs.
Some members of the
community and surrounding areas donated
items to the center such as the room with
the black and white checkered flooring with
an old fireplace, table, and chandelier.
Special Collections
is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
The Assistive Technology
Learning Center (ATLC) is another feature
of the new library. ATLC assists students
with disabilities by using various assistive
technology and devices such as screen reader
programs and a braille printer. There are
also touch pads, adjustable desks, voice
recognition for more accessible typing and
a closed circuit television for use with
print materials.
Trained personnel
provide assistive technology evaluations
and training on various devices.
The Merrill-Cazier
library has 33 group study rooms- all with
whiteboards. Thirteen of the study rooms
on the first floor are to be equipped with
computers and one with a projector. Students
can reserve these study rooms through the
Library Online Catalog.
Click
the thumbnail photos below for larger versions.
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