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    Overview: Construction of the
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by Dr. Harold B. Shill

Construction of Penn State Harrisburg's long-awaited "Library of the Future" was completed November 29, 1999, following 15 months of construction. Computers, collections, new furniture, and library personnel were relocated into the new library during December and early January, enabling the library to open officially on January 10, 2000, for the start of spring semester. The library was formally dedicated March 16, 2000, in a ceremony attended by Penn State President Graham Spanier, the University Board of Trustees, state government leaders, area librarians, faculty, staff, students, and community leaders.

As a medium-sized academic library with 275,000 volumes, 1,430 journal subscriptions, and 300 databases, this facility was planned from the outset as a "hybrid" print/electronic library which would easily accommodate new technologies without sacrificing the personal warmth of the traditional library. As a result, the library contains 356 "assignable" data ports for public access workstations, offices, a state-of-the-art library instruction lab, and two electronic classrooms. In addition, users have network and power access for laptop computers at 404 "mobile" ports, enabling them to use print and electronic resources simultaneously at 92 percent of the library's table, carrel, and lounge seats.

The building's first floor is a communication area, containing the reference, circulation/reserve, and interlibrary loan service desks, 31 workstations at pinwheel carrels, laser printers, copiers, seating at tables, carrels, and lounge chairs, and library offices. The library instruction lab, at the rear of the first floor, includes 41 new computers, an advanced projection and sound system, dimmable fluorescent lights, and a control system enabling the instructor to project search results from any student's computer onto a central screen. The instruction lab is set on raised flooring with carpet tiles, enabling the seating setup to be modified for new technologies or teaching methods.

In addition to offering library services, the first level contains several other facilities which make the building central to campus life. The first level also offers a popular CyberCafé and a wired art gallery/reception hall, the elegant Morrison Gallery. The latter facility has been heavily used for exhibits, receptions, student recruitment events, professional conferences, and student poster sessions. With its own entrance, rest room, and food facilities, the gallery can support events without using library resources and can be used when the library is closed.

The library's second level provides space for current and bound periodicals, a periodicals service desk, Technical Services and Periodicals offices, a variety of comfortable seating areas, and microforms. This is also a popular research and study area, containing six wired group study rooms, faculty/graduate carrels with lockable compartments, and a variety of seating (lounge, Windsor, Berwyn, and two-position chairs). Books with Library of Congress call numbers in the A-GV sequence are shelved here. Six public access workstations and three copiers are provided on this floor.

The third floor contains the rest of the book collection, a curricular materials lab, Special Collections, the Art Slide Library, and two wired seminar rooms, along with the same variety of seating and group study options available on the second floor. Six public access workstations and one copier are available on this floor. The Alice Marshall Women's History Collection, arguably the finest of its kind assembled by a private collector, offers more than 11,000 books, posters, campaign buttons, sheet music, correspondence, and a variety of other items focusing on the stereotyping of women.

Several building-wide features are worth noting. First, the library contains 643 data ports and 15 video ports, the latter permitting video use and satellite conference downloading in 8 different locations. Second, most seating is arrayed around the exterior of the building, permitting maximum possible utilization of natural lighting in combination with pendant, in-ceiling fluorescent, and task lighting. Third, all rooms and open locations are zone temperature controlled, with thermostats permitting moderate adjustments to meet individual needs. Fourth, the installation of solar shades on all 122 windows permits sun filtering without eliminating exterior views. Finally, parallel pathways, cable pipes, and conduits have been installed throughout the building to permit the future installation of fiber optic wiring to the desktop without removing the existing UTP Category-5 cabling.

The library is grateful to its joint venture architectural team of Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott and Hayes Large Architects for understanding the library's vision and delivering a building that is functional, flexible, and aesthetically pleasing, both inside and outside. Benchmark Construction has done an outstanding job of converting the architects' design into an exceptional building within the $14.4 million construction budget and under a tight construction deadline.

Brodart Furniture has worked closely with college and library personnel to deliver a furniture package that provides comfort, aesthetic appeal, good electrical components, and outstanding wire management. The library has been pleased with the Steelcase and Krueger Industries furniture installed, respectively, in the offices and classrooms. New Spacesaver shelving has been installed throughout the building, giving the library 26.6 years of growth room for print collections.

Penn State Harrisburg's "Library of the Future" has been planned to be a transformational library, one which provides a comfortable environment for the use of print, electronic, and other resources throughout the building. It is designed to define a central role for the library in the evolving learning environment of the Information Age. The initial feedback from users and visitors alike has been extremely positive. We welcome visitors. Please call Jennifer Dimeler (717-948-6079) if you are interested in scheduling a tour. Thank you for visiting our Web site.

The Pennsylvania State University ©2008
Last updated Aug 28, 2007.
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