Q. When will construction and jackhammers and noise happen?
- All work will take place during daytime hours to avoid extra charges associated with night-time work. Construction will generally take place during daytime hours. Library users are advised to expect some noise throughout the project. We will do our best to provide advance notice of the types of work that will be done each day.
Q. Where can students study during construction?
- Construction will be phased, and we’re looking for additional spaces to temporarily support study needs. More information will be coming as planning takes shape.
Q. What major changes will occur?
Some of the major features will include:
- Adding a rear entrance to the courtyard near the cafeteria with a new stairway connecting first and second floor library areas and Simulation Center
- 24-hour access to most areas
- Better space planning with new technology/electrical infrastructure
- Fewer library shelving units and physical volumes
- More study space including 10-11 small study rooms
- Technology sandbox for high-end computing and access to software for research & education
- One Button Studio, a space for recording presentations with green screen and lightboard
Q. What are the students, staff, and faculty getting out of this?
A future-proofed Research/Learning Commons
- Updated space that allows technology to be incorporated and explored
- Areas that cater to different learning styles and needs – quiet space, collaborative space, study rooms for student use, white boards, recording software, etc.
- Acoustical separation to allow for different noise levels
- Single service desk for library and IT help
- Modular space that will allow us to change as the College of Medicine does
- Flexible furniture and spaces to suit the needs of students and faculty
- Exhibit space to display Medical History collections and traveling exhibits
Q. Will we still have access to online library resources while the construction is going on? What will happen to the library website?
All online materials such as books, journals, interlibrary loan requests, etc. will remain uninterrupted during the construction phase. Everything with the library website will remain the same.
Q. How long will it take to do this?
- Design phase will last through July 2015. Bidding on project will occur in August & September 2015.
- Construction begins December 7, 2015 and ends around November 2016 – kick-off/grand re-open should occur in Spring Semester 2017.
Q. What firms are you working with?
Our architect, which was selected through a competitive bidding process, is Holzheimer, Bolek & Meehan (HBM) based in Cleveland, OH. They have designed many libraries, including academic health sciences libraries. We will work with a number of different vendors for furniture, finishings, etc. The construction firm is Pyramid Construction.
Q. How is the project funded?
The renovation is funded by the College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey,
Q. What is going to happen to the spiral staircase?
The spiral staircase will not change. The staircase is a distinctive architectural feature and will be integrated into the new library design. It will have a new glass wall adjoining the library space to secure the library space and muffle noise.
Q. Does this have anything to do with the Pinnacle partnership?
No.
Q. How was the planning done on this project?
A library renovation has been part of the Penn State Hershey Facilities Master Plan for a number of years. Advance planning included interviews with students, faculty, and educational leadership, focus groups, an in-depth use assessment of our current space, and on-the-spot interviews with library users. We also reviewed recent renovations and new installations of health sciences libraries throughout the country. Medical and graduate students were surveyed and invited to attend question and answer/information and idea gathering sessions. Senior leadership of the institution and the Library Advisory Committee (a standing committee of the Penn State Hershey Faculty Organization) were consulted. A Senior Planning Committee consisting of Penn State Hershey students, faculty, and leadership was convened and provided input and oversight throughout the process.
Q. What will happen to the books that you are removing from the collection?
Our physical collection is shrinking, as it has been for the past few years. The remaining physical collection on site will be a working collection of print materials that are highly relevant to the learning, research, and clinical care that happens at Penn State Hershey. The rest of the collection will be available on demand off site. The print journals we are removing are all accessible electronically or duplicate materials that are already available at Penn State and can be requested on demand. Physical materials that we are removing are being donated to a new medical school library in Ghana with which the College of Medicine has a partnership.