UCLA University Librarian

Unbound periodicals are in place and ready to use.

Newspapers are now shelved on new shelving on the “A” level.

Students have already found the comfortable places and are making it their own.

Temporary Reference Room opens Monday on “A” level.

There are a number of finishing touches yet to be completed on “A”, but it is now open for service and fills every day with students who have found the new space.  As always there is some confusion as to just where everything is, but the comments to date have been pretty positive, and staff is shaking out the kinks.

Captital Programs is in the process of awarding the bid for the renovation of the first floor of the Charles E. Young Research Library. The apparent low bidder is Woodcliff Corporation, Los Angeles.

The cost estimate was $7,499,000. We received 12 bids. The bid from Woodcliff was $4,596,000, and the high contract bid was in the amount of $6,465,430.

The bid award should be certified shortly, and we will be underway with the next phase of our project. This is very good news to start off the new year.

Progress is being made toward meeting our goal of having this new space available for students when Fall term begins this month.

The Henry J. Bruman Map Collection has been moved into its new home from various locations.

Microforms are being located near the map collection. The daylight washes over these new spaces.

Installation of lighting over study table is nearly complete.

Lounge seating and lighted tables give options for relaxed, quiet study spaces. The lighting levels help the project achieve its LEED goals.

Handrails in the stairwells have now been refinished and hung to meet ADA standards, a part of bringing these spaces into compliance.

This new reading room is a beehive of activity this morning as furniture and shelving begin to appear in this wonderful new space.

Unpacking began early this morning. Workmen begin to assemble all of the pieces, parts, and surfaces. Let’s hope there aren’t left over parts!

Installation of shelving for unbound periodicals begins. We will soon be able to move these materials to this level.

Many pieces to assemble. Study chairs along the windows and stacks of chairs along with parts for the tables. Note the hanging lamp fixtures.

Corner space is in place with round table under the hanging light fixture. All study tables contain the electrical wiring within the pedestal away from prying hands. The view out should be pretty nice when the plastic is removed from the windows.

The mixture of lounge chairs, round tables under hanging lamps, and rectangular study tables provides a variety of options for study and use.

The service desk at the back of the staircase will provide a center point of contact for assistance.

Please continue to respect that this is still a construction area and has not yet been turned over to the Library. We expect to have that happen in the next couple of weeks and then come visit and enjoy. We should be in place for students when the fall term opens.

Work progresses as one can see as you now can use the stairway to go to the A level. We seem to be on the “home stretch” and still hope to be able to be ready when students return in the fall.

Ceiling tiles aer almost in place, lights are connected, and the carpet is almost finished. I can’t wait to see what it looks like with the covering off the windows and the change of light as the day progresses.

All of the wall areas are being painted.

Base boards are glued into place. Even with the covering over the cork floor, one gets the idea of how it will look.

A view toward the stairway and elevators with the newly painted ceiling. The service desk will be installed in front of the stairway and the media wall is seen in the background.

The entry to Special Collections has been closed and the doors removed making way for a new entry to be constructed.

The wall comes down and reveals the new garden reading room today. Please do not cross into the construction zone as it is not Library space as yet. This is still a construction area and is dangerous. But a look-see is welcome.

The stairs open up and one begins to see the expanse of space that will soon be ready to receive our users into this exciting new space.

This view shows the canopy above the elevators and access by the stairway.

One has a “straight-ahead” view of the media wall with the stairwell to the right and entrance to Special Collections ahead of the staircase.

Work continues to finish the ceiling in the reading room. Cork flooring is being laid (note the brown paper covering it at the bottom of the picture), and lighting is in. Once a few modifications are made to venting in the ceiling, the tiles will be installed and then the finishing begins.

Work began this week on the renovation of space to accomodate the work stations and offices for Access Services on the ‘A” level.

Team meets to coordinate the “kick-off” of the project.

We are fortunate the final bids were much lower than our original constuction estimate. Cannon was the winning bidder at $320,000. The orginal construction estimate was $740,000.

Portal installation to the entry into the CRIS office space. A portal and new doors will be installed for the entry to Special Collections, and it will be similar to the Reading Room portal on the first floor.

Librarian’s office with view out to outside.

Workstations for support staff.

One of two conference rooms available for consultation within the new staff office area.

Staff workroom and receiving area.

Work proceeds in finishing the ceiling in the reading room. Ceiling tiles go in next and then the floor coverings. We are progressing on schedule for a fall opening of the space.

Work continues on the ‘A” level renovation and we are moving toward completion pretty much on schedule.

Transom windows are sealed into place allowing light to come into the interier spaces in the office area.

Columns are being “smoothed” to provide a finish that looks natural in the garden reading room.

Carpeting is down in the office area and covered to protect it as the contractor finishes the space. Some ceiling tiles are installed and work continues on lighting, alarms, and ventilation.

Okay, I pulled a bit of plastic aside so you could see what the carpet looks like. Doors will be installed soon and the workroom spaces are finished.

Several members of UCLA’s Women & Philanthropy organization were hosted in the Library this week and were able to grab hard hats and tour the “A” level renovation.

The group was treated to a first-hand look at the new space as well as a fly-through of the planned renovation of the first floor. We retired to the Smith room in Special Collections and viewed the plans and finish boards followed by a robust Q & A.

While some funds are in hand to complete these two projects, there is still a need to raise several million dollars to complete our ambitions. I was seeking the advice of these committed UCLA supporters in our efforts.