Category Archives: Library Facility Updates

Music Library Reopens in Haslam Music Center

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The George F. DeVine Music Library reopens tomorrow (Wednesday, August 21) in the new Natalie L. Haslam Music Center.

The Music Library’s holdings include books, scores, and audio and visual materials representing nearly every aspect and genre of music. The library is open to all UT students, staff, and faculty as well as to members of the local community and researchers around the world. The Music Library website — lib.utk.edu/music — provides 24/7 access to articles, databases, catalogs, and streaming music and video.

The Natalie L. Haslam Music Center is the new home of the university’s School of Music. In addition to the Music Library, it houses a new recital hall, band room and office suite, computer labs, a recording studio, 40 performance studios/offices and a variety of technology-enhanced practice and rehearsal rooms.

For high quality music collections, information and research assistance, visit the new Music Library in G04 Haslam Music Center. Or chat online with a librarian at lib.utk.edu/music.
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During Fall and Spring Semesters, the library is open:
8 – 10, Monday – Thursday
8 – 5, Friday
(Closed Saturday)
2 – 10, Sunday

Upper Floors of Hodges Library Undergoing Renovation

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More renovations are underway at the Hodges Library. Library users will soon encounter an entirely new look as they exit the elevators onto the upper floors. In the meantime, we ask our patrons to excuse the noise and disruption.

The open seating areas in the central corridors of the stacks floors — floors 3 through 6 — are receiving a facelift. The central aisles will soon have more electrical outlets, improved lighting, and new digital signs.

Upgrades also include new security features: cameras, emergency phones, and open sightlines in the central aisles. These improvements are part of the Libraries’ efforts to better support 24-hour access to the stacks. During the fall and spring semesters, all floors of the Hodges Library are open 24 hours, Sunday through Friday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. We are opening and improving spaces in the central corridor of each floor to give students more opportunities to study where they can see and be seen by other students rather than having to find a remote corner for lack of a seat or an electrical outlet.

Visitors to the library this week may need to seek alternate routes as they wander around the upper floors: we’re laying new carpeting in the central aisles. Please bear with us. Better things are coming!

Music Library closing temporarily for move to new Music Center

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The Music Library will close at 5 pm this Friday, July 12, to prepare for the upcoming move to the new Natalie L. Haslam Music Center. The Music Library plans to reopen on August 21 if circumstances allow.

During the closure, online resources accessible through the Music Library homepage (http://www.lib.utk.edu/music/) will still be available for use, but the physical collection will be inaccessible during much of this time. Patrons are advised to check out Music Library materials before 5 pm on July 12 if materials will be needed this summer.

If you have an unanticipated need, please request the item through the Libraries’ catalog and also send an e-mail to Josh Aldorisio (jaldoris@utk.edu). When possible, Music Library staff will try to fulfill these special requests. The loan periods of all materials will be extended to the August 21 re-opening date, but patrons may also return items to Hodges Library.

We in the Music Library apologize for this inconvenience, but we look forward to assisting library users in the new location.

Commons in Hodges Library Making Real Progress

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A large portion of the Commons in the Hodges Library should reopen in mid-October. Both Commons North and Commons South are nearing completion. New glass-enclosed group study rooms that admit ample natural light have been built around the perimeters. Service desks, computer tables, and booth-style seating are already in place. Library and OIT staff will begin installing computers and printers later this week.

The Commons has been undergoing renovations since early summer. Renovating an entire floor of the Hodges Library has entailed a complex choreography of temporary relocations of services and staff offices. Library staff recently reoccupied the updated Circulation/Media/Reserve service desk and office area just inside the Melrose Place entrance, freeing up space outside Starbucks’ new west-facing entrance for the upcoming installation of expanded café seating.

When students return from Fall Break, they should see real progress. Some exciting improvements are already apparent. Entrances to Commons North and Commons South have been widened, and a series of service desks are clearly visible across the entire expanse, north to south, of the second floor of Hodges. One need only peek over the construction barrier into Commons North to see the zig-zag computer tables and a serpentine arrangement of easy chairs. Commons South boasts new media:scape™ furniture that will allow students to walk up, plug in their own laptops, and confer on group projects.

The centralization of service desks means that students will be able to check out all equipment — laptops, scanners, video cameras, headphones, voice recorders and more — from one convenient location in Commons South. The Studio, now centrally located in Commons South, will offer more recording and video studios. Commons North will provide dedicated spaces for the Student Success Center, the Writing Center, Stat Lab, and the Math Tutorial Center.

It won’t be long now!

Commons Update: New Circulation Desk Opens

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We’re making real progress on the Commons! Renovations are underway in all quadrants of the Hodges Library second floor, but one quadrant is all but completed. Library staff have reoccupied the updated Circulation/Media/Reserve service desk and offices in the northwest corner. Book and equipment checkout have resumed at that location.

We don’t know how they did it, but the architects have made the square-footage of the Circulation area seem twice as spacious. Thank you, McCarty Holsaple McCarty!

Commons South is still on-target to reopen around mid-October. And it appears that Commons North will open around the same date. There is visible progress: if you peek over the construction barrier into Commons North, you can see the zig-zag computer tables and a serpentine arrangement of easy chairs.

We appreciate your patience and hope that — along with us — you are eagerly anticipating the unveiling of a new and better Commons.

Continuing updates:

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Circulation Office Area: 

Staff will begin moving back into offices next week (week of September 10).  Date for resuming service at the front desk has yet to be determined however. 

 

Melrose entrance/Mary Greer Room

Work will begin once Circulation has move out.

 

Commons North:

Getting close.  Furniture, including services desks, scheduled for installation to begin on September 14th. That process could take a week or so to complete. 

 

Study Lounge behind Starbucks:

The area will close and work will begin after Commons North re-opens.  

 

Commons South :

Goal for furniture installation is still September 24th.  Staff office areas are the first priority. 

 

First Floor: 

Move-in date is still holding at September 24th.

 

Current DMS and future Scholars Commons area:

Construction is set for October 1.

Estimated completion dates

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Circulation Service area and staff work area
Friday, August 24 – begin furniture installation
Friday, September 7 – punch list walk thru with architects, contractor, and fire marshal
Monday, September 10 – Staff move in contingent upon CO (certificate of occupation) issue by fire marshal

Commons North
Friday, September 7-punch list walk thru with architects, contractor, and fire marshal
Monday, September 10 –Furniture installation begins
Staff move in when above is complete and then open services contingent upon CO (certificate of occupation) issue by fire marshal

Commons South
Friday, September 14 – punch list walk thru with architects, contractor, and fire marshal
Tuesday, September 18 – Furniture installation begins
Staff move in when above is complete and then open services contingent upon CO (certificate of occupation) issue by fire marshal

Commons “Southwest” — Staff office area and former room 245 areas
Wednesday, September 19 -punch list walk thru with architects, contractor, and fire marshal
Monday, September 24 – Furniture installation begins
Staff move in when above is complete contingent upon CO (certificate of occupation) issue by fire marshal

First floor: rooms 170 (future DMS) room 171 (DPS)
Wednesday, September 19 – punch list walk thru with architects, contractor, and fire marshal
Monday, September 24, Staff move back in contingent upon CO (certificate of occupation) issue by fire marshal

Study Lounge behind Starbucks, Melrose entry, and Mary Greer Room:
Work will being in study lounge on September 4 and in the Melrose and Mary Greer room as soon as the staff are moved out of the area and back into Circulation area.

Estimated completion no later than September 28.

Digital Media Services area
Work will begin in October with completion date TBD.

Hodges Library Open More Hours

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The Hodges Library is now open even more hours. Sunday-through-Friday, round-the-clock hours — which formerly applied only to the second floor — have been extended to all floors of Hodges Library. In addition, the entire building will remain open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. These hours will be in effect throughout the fall and spring semesters.

This significant expansion of library hours means added convenience for students seeking study space or needing access to print resources. The book stacks and seating on floors 3 through 6, as well as additional computers and seating on the first floor, will be available 24 hours/5 days a week, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. No longer will students studying overnight be forced to interrupt study sessions at 3 a.m.! No more lugging books and laptops to the Commons to fight for study space!

The new library fee is helping to pay for this oft-requested expansion of library hours.

Remember: between midnight and 7 a.m., library users must swipe their VolCards at the Melrose (2nd floor) entrance to enter Hodges Library.