I walked past the new Library construction site the other day on my way to the carpark. I was surprised to see the progress on the new building! A few months ago it was still like a bottomless pit but now voila, a new building is taking shape!  I am sure a lot of people are like me holding our breaths and waiting for it to be completed. However, we can’t hold our breaths for too long (or we will die obviously) cos we have a lot of work to do!

As far as I know, consultations with academics about collection storage arrangements in the new Library is now underway, and then we have all those things we need to do such as selecting furniture for the new building, working out the logistics of moving the collection and planning out how we provide our services in a completely new environment. If people think planning for a wedding or moving house is complicated, wait till you try and move the whole library collection as well as staff and services! 

As we are gearing up to move into the new building, we would like to hear more from our clients so that we can make sure that we hear your voice during the process. After all, the building is for you not us. So fire away either on the blog or the feedback page http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/newlibrary/contact.html and let us know

Cheers
Haven Tso

We have received lots of questions around the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) in the new Library and how we are working what parts of our collection will be on the open shelves. To assist the process a set of Collection Storage Principles was developed. http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/newlibrary/collection_storage_principles.pdf

Did you know we are now starting academic consultations on the collection?

Between September 2009 and July 2010 we will be consulting with academics and researchers from across the University to ensure the application of the Collection Storage Principles meets the learning, teaching and research needs of the University.

The consultation process will be completed by July 2010 so we can finalise preparation of the collection for the move to the new Library.

Hi Everyone,

I have a question about the automated retrieval system. A large part of research for papers comes from looking up books in the library, and then browsing the shelves in the surrounding area. Will this option still be availble if the books are kept in a seperate area only to be accessed through an automated system? Or will only certain books be automated, and will this mean that the number of books accessed from the shelf will be decreased?

Thanks very much,

Natasha

I think it’s already hard to find a seat in our library  especially during exam. I usually have to go around from level 2 to level 4 to find a seat, it takes a lot of time. So I just think that it would be great if we could use some technology in the new big library to make it easier for students.

I wonder if we  could use something like the point of sale monitor at the cinema which lets us know which seat is available and which one isn’t. We could put each touch-scene monitor in each area with the venue of the seats and the number on the table. When anyone chooses to sit at that table, he has to click to the venue to let people know that that seat is not available anymore and when he l  leaves, he has to change the status of that seat to available. I think by doing this, other students just need to look the the monitor to find their seats without going around and around.

Photos of the 3D model of the new Library are now available on the New Library website. http://www.library.mq.edu.au/newlibrary/

From the homepage you can click through to additional photos showing different aspects of the building. And don’t forget to visit us to view the actual 3D model which is located at the entry level of the current Library.

Any ideas about for how long the bulldozers and MEGA MULCH WOODCHIPPER will be stationed under my window? I am blogging this, cos cannot hear myself to use phone.

With work commencing on the new Library site, some are wondering exactly how the new Library will look in relation to the surrounding buildings and environment. Anticipating this, the Library, in conjunction with architects Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, commissioned and recently received a high quality 1: 200 scale model of the new Library showing exactly where it will be situated and how it will look.

The model is displayed on Level 2 of the Library, just inside the main entrance. Further information on the new Library is displayed nearby. The model was constructed by Modelcraft, a scale model architectural firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Dubai. You can see more of their work at www.modelcraft.com.au. The scale model of our new Library is constructed from various plastics, specialist aircraft ply, brass etching, sandpaper, foam and wire. Design and construction of the model took approximately 500 working hours, which equates to over 5 weeks work for two people.

So what can we glean from the model? Interestingly, it shows the overall height of the Library to be significantly lower than nearby building C3A, making the Library’s presence perhaps less obtrusive than you might otherwise assume.

The lower levels of the Library can be seen to be located underground, enlivened with gardened wells of natural light. This subterranean element of the new Library will allow some of the greenery and open spaces to return above ground once the building is complete. The proposed University Common is shown opening out from the front of the Library. For more information on the relationship of the new Library to the overall plan for the University, consult the Concept Plan.

But don’t take my word for it, come in and see the model for yourself.

It was wonderful to see so many students and staff brave the rain as we turned the first sod on the new Library site recently. With shovel in hand, Vice-Chancellor Professor Steven Schwartz did the honours to mark the start of the construction phase of the new Library.

The Vice-Chancellor noted how the new Library will use technology to free up Library staff to assist students to better use and evaluate information. This will help us achieve Macquarie’s aim to become a more research-intensive university.

Many people have remarked how much they enjoyed participating in the traditional smoking ceremony performed by Darug elder Chris Tobin. This ritual is intended to cleanse the site and ward off bad spirits, and involved staff, guests and students walking through smoke from native leaves.

Dismayed by the heavy rain falling, I was heartened when Chris explained that the rain was in fact a positive sign for our future Library. He also challenged us to deliver the benefits promised by the new Library – a challenge we are happy to take up!

I’d like to thank all the Library, U@MQ and OFM staff involved for making this event such a success.

We’ve posted some photos of the event for those who couldn’t make it on the day.

I have been very excited by the input and ideas that have sprouted from our blog@library2010 in the few short months it has been up and running. Now, to facilitate broader discussion and engagement with ideas, students, staff and interested parties from the broader community may actively post new items for discussion to the blog, rather than just responding with comments.

While you can still expect that we will continue to post items on the progress of Library 2010, the ability for you to post new items is an important change as it will allow blog@library2010 to grow organically with various strands touching on different issues. That, after all is what a blog is all about.

So I encourage you to contribute. If you have a bright idea, we want to hear about it! You might just see it come to fruition in the new Library. Or if you’d like to endorse an idea that has already been posted, please do. We can’t always know how popular an idea is unless we hear from you.

Help us make it happen! Join our blog now.

Maxine Brodie, University Librarian

Welcome to blog@library2010!

blog@library2010 has been set up to capture your ideas, comments and concerns about the New Library. We will also use this forum to keep you up-to-date with general progress and alert you to major developments and upcoming events. Your input is valuable and fundamental to the success of this project. I warmly invite students, staff and interested parties from the broader community to join our blog discussion.

For a more formal comment where you seek feedback please use the Contact Library form and we will be happy to respond.

Maxine Brodie, University Librarian