For most U upperclassmen, Tuesday was a day long overdue.
The Marriott Library has been under renovation since June 2005, and more than four years and $80 million later, the entire library and its services are open once again to students. The state funded $52 million of the renovation project, and private fundraising covered the rest, said Ian Godfrey, the Marriott Library facilities manager.
Improvements made to the library include seismic upgrades, more study space, a state-of-the-art computer lab, classrooms, a new archive search robot, new ways to search for and reserve books from home via Internet and a new cafe.
“I really enjoy the library now that it’s done,” said Jason Lloyd, a senior in exercise science. “Last semester, I would just go home, but now I like to come here to study. I’m a lot more productive when I study here. There are fewer distractions.”
The architectural layout of the library was unaffected by the construction, but the interior of the library is completely changed from what it was in 2005.
“The building is aesthetically pleasing and is a great place to study,” said Michelle Cotton, a graduate student in geology, who also said she loves the architecture inside and out. “Their services have improved. There are more ways to help the students out. They have what you need fast.”
Not all students are convinced, however, that the renovations to the library were beneficial to its students.
“I think they spent too much money on the chairs at the computers,” said Brooke Boren, a junior in pre-pharmacy. Godfrey said the library purchased the chairs in bulk at government prices, which are 50 to 60 percent less than retail price.
He could not comment on what the library spent.
The library is scheduled to be completely finished inside and out in the near future and will be fully accessible to faculty and students. An opening ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 2.
“I do like the setup of the library,” Boren said. “It is a great resource and I like that you can access stuff from the Internet at home.”
Michael McFall contributed to this article.
