Library Construction Update -- March 3, 2004

We plan to issue progress reports on a regular basis now that we are close to construction to keep you up to date on the project status. Next time we will outline major milestones on
the schedule of construction. Tom Ponto, Paul Manstrom, Ken Arthur, and I are the core group working closely with the construction manager, Miller-Davis Company.

Razing of the Homes

Razing of the five homes on Academy and Bulkley Streets will begin approximately March 24 and take 1.5 weeks. We have made every effort to work with individuals interested in moving
houses. One of the houses has been identified as a possibility to move to another location to date.

We have made arrangements with The Heritage Company to salvage doors, woodwork, cupboards, anything of value from the houses.

Once the houses are down, a fence will be constructed around the site for safety reasons. There will be unavoidable noise once the excavation has begun. Construction hours will be 8 am to 5 pm. Other schedules would involve added labor costs as well as added disruption to the lives of our neighbors.

Every effort will be made to save mature trees on the site where possible.

We have worked closely with our West Main Hill neighbors so they know what is going on and we have identified a contact person for them.

Metro Transit

Concerned faculty have brought up the issue of transportation to Waldo Library. Route 16 of Metro Transit runs every 15 minutes from 9 am to 3 pm each day and every half hour at all other times.

The bus goes down Lovell Street (will stop at intersections and bus stops), around to Dairy Queen and then up West Michigan. The bus runs from 6:15 am until 10:15. The last bus leaves Waldo at 10:30 pm. Fare and schedule information is available at the Kalamazoo Metro Website (http://www.kmetro.org/). Bus schedules are also available in the Hicks Center lobby.

Classrooms in Upjohn Library

The Classroom Task Force will meet soon to discuss Upjohn Library classrooms during Spring Quarter.

Parking During Construction

A Parking Task Force to explore parking options during the construction period is being formed at present, Chaired by Vaughn Maatman. This committee will have faculty, staff and student representatives.

Access to Library Materials

Beginning March 1, most periodicals published before 1990 will be packed and moved to off-campus storage, where they will be inaccessible. Please take advantage of the Library's extensive collection of electronic journals, Western Michigan University's library, and our Interlibrary Loan service to access periodicals published before 1990. Periodical volumes published after 1990 will be moved to Dewing storage beginning March 15 but will remain accessible. If you need a periodical from Dewing storage you can fill out a Storage Request Form to have the item retrieved for you and held at the Library's Circulation Desk.

Books in the Library's circulating collection will be available throughout the moving and construction process. The library's book collection will be moved to Dewing storage beginning March 15. If you need a book from Dewing storage you can fill out a Storage Request Form to have the item retrieved for you and held at the Library's Circulation Desk.

Lisa Palchick
Dean of Libraries & Information Services