John Peace Library Renovation News Blog

This blog has chronicled the ongoing library renovations for the past 16 months … and though we still have a lot of work to do (the project will run through 2011) we figured that now would be a good time to take a moment to celebrate the completion of Phase One with the entire UTSA community.

And so, we’d like to invite all students, faculty and staff to join us for a Renovation Celebration! We will have hot beverages and a dessert buffet, live music, a magnetic poetry contest, and plenty of free giveaways. Hope to see you there!

Date: Tuesday, December 1st
Time: 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Place: The Sombrilla mezzanine, just outside the second floor entrance to JPL

P.S. To really get a sense for how dramatically the building has changed since its opening days in 1976, check out our series of photo animations of the Library “Then and Now”

The library has added fourteen group study rooms on the 3rd floor JPL. In an effort to meet the growing demand for student group work space, the library identified and re-purposed several rooms. There is one large group study room (up to 20 people), three medium size rooms (5-6 people), and ten small rooms (2-3 people). Rooms can be checked out at the Front Desk in the library. Also in the works, and coming soon, is a reservation system to allow groups to reserve use of a group study room in advance.

The library is doing its part to help in the cold and flu season. Bottles of hand sanitizers have been placed at all service desks in all libraries as well as in the public and computer areas. Wall-mounted, hands-free dispensers have been installed on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the JPL.

While the H1N1 flu continues to be a concern, good health habits can be part of everyone’s daily routine. Influenza spreads person-to-person through coughing or sneezing by infected people, so –
o Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
o Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
o Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
o Minimize your time with other people who are showing flu-like symptoms.

New signs have appeared on the 2nd floor JPL, part of the initial renovation phase and useful in wayfinding around the library. Several color-coded zones were created so that the signs are not only directional but also related to proximity of location. In addition to being informative, the signs are an important part of the enhanced appearance that the library is developing as spaces for students and faculty continue to be improved.

The new location for Special Collections being constructed at JPL has passed the half way point and is proceeding without any difficulties. In the photos here, workers have completed installation of the raised flooring and are beginning to work on the ceiling grid. The main part of the project that is most complicated is to move the large HVAC units to the roof of JPL. Holes and ductwork have already been installed for this, and it is a matter of the units arriving on site and a crane being rented to do this work. Right now, Special Collections is scheduled to open on January 11, 2010.