Level A update – Almost Complete

I just got word that the technicians working on the compact shelving on Level A have just finished. That means for the first time in Homer Babbidge history, we have 3 sections of working compact shelving. The refurbished (old) compact shelving has been released and can be used by library staff and patrons. Please note that my students are working furiously to reshelve all of the bottom shelf books that had to be moved due to the refurbishing project. We are about 1/3 of the way through.

One other small detail to note is that the label holders for the stacks are still back ordered. They will be installed as soon as they come in.

Level A Update

Here’s the latest update on the Level A mobile stacks.

1st. The new moveable stacks are almost complete. In fact, we are starting to shelve books on them for the next part of the project. They move effortlessly and they look nice.

2nd. The technicians have started working on our old, existing moveable stacks. They have started to remove the end panels, motors and wiring from the stacks on the left as you enter the stacks from the elevators. This means that the stacks and the material within the stacks on the left side, are now completely inaccessible.level A 4Level A 6level A 7

Babbidge Construction is moving along

Construction on Level 4 and Level A is moving along. Everyday the workers are building out the new spaces making them ready for the start of the Fall semester. The Humanities Institute is really starting to take shape as the workers are renovating the Research Carrels, turning them into offices and new walls are going up in the space. The Level A mobile stacks are starting to take shape as the workers install the new carriages complete with book shelves. The space is really beginning to transform.

Level A 3 Level A 2

Level 1 Printing and Scanning

We are currently having the Level 1 diamond walls patched and painted a new fresh color. With that said the scanners in the middle of the diamond are covered in plastic and out of commission until the paint job is complete. Two of the printers (the color printer and a black and white) have been moved to the table to the right of the diamond and are operational …

Once the painter is finished with the job, all of the printers and scanners will be back up and running.

Level 4 Humanities Institute Project

The construction of the Humanities Institute on the 4th floor South East side has begun. You will notice temporary walls of plastic to help contain the dust and to keep patrons from wandering into a construction zone.

All of our collections will not be impacted by the construction. All collections on the 4th floor are accessible. It will be a little noisy during construction, so please direct patrons looking for a quiet floor to level 2.

Level A Project

Starting on Monday, June 13, Donnegan Systems will be on site to start the installation of the new manual mobile stacks. Right after the completion of the manual mobile stacks, Donnegan Systems will then shift their attention to upgrading the existing mobile stacks to state of the art electronic controls for each stack.
While this work is being done, level A collections will be closed. If you or a patron needs something from level A, please use DD/ILL.

Flooring Update — June 24

The past two weeks have been a bit frustrating on the flooring project as we found some items outside the scope of the project that needed to be fixed before the project could continue. But things are looking up now. The bathrooms should see a team of plumbers on site Monday (today) fixing the old floor drains. They should be finished with level 3 and 4 by Weds. Which means the tile installers will be able to finish the water proofing and the tiling.

The carpet guys had hit something that turned out to be a major hurtle for them. The carpet is very difficult to pull up, making the preparation for the carpet installation much longer than anyone anticipated. The good news is they started laying carpet on Friday and they worked all day yesterday (Saturday); so they have made great progress in the past two days. The third floor still remains closed to patrons but open to library staff to retrieve items for our patrons.

As of today, the level 4 lobby will be closed for about 2 weeks. To access level 4 please use the corner emergency stairwells (except the SW stairwell as that is alarmed). To access MAGIC (the Map Library), contact the staff of MAGIC, and they will meet you on the plaza level and then take you up via the staff elevator. Please contact them at: 860-486-4589. http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/

We are watching the schedule very closely and I will update you more often now that we are seeing the progress in the different parts of this installation.

Thank you for your patience.

Summer Flooring Project Blog 2

Day 2 … Starting today, Wednesday May 22, after the staff of Bookworms closes their counters and put away their coffee urns (3 PM), work will begin on dismantling the Bookworms space. Bookworms, the 24 hr. study space, the TV room and the restrooms will not be available until around June 12. The flooring company will be ripping up the old vinyl tile and installing a new tile with a new, more vibrant color scheme. Access to the Class of 1947 Room will be through the South Entrance only.

Meanwhile, work continues on the bathrooms on level 4. In a couple days they will be dropping down to level 3 to start the demolition of those bathrooms. The work in the bathrooms is a wee bit loud, but the on the brighter side, it doesn’t take them very long to rip up a bathroom floor.

Summer time is upon us and you know what that means; construction projects. Summer is the time when we work on the Babbidge Library bringing back to “pristine” condition. I know that’s a stretch considering the Homer Babbidge is 35 years old. But this summer we are doing something special. We are replacing much of the flooring in the library.

The first thing you may notice is that we are replacing the brown tile floors in the upper bathrooms. Currently, they are working on the level 4 Men’s and Women’s restrooms and they will soon be dropping down to levels 3, 2, 1 and eventually level B. That is the banging that you hear in the building as the chisel and jackhammer the old tile off the floor.