Ganser Library Updates

The renovations to Ganser Library are underway and right on schedule, according to Erin Dorney, outreach librarian. “We have a great team of contractors working really well with each other to open again for business in the fall of 2013.”

The construction process of the library building is presently in the “demolition” phase. This phase consists of the breaking down of the internal walls, taking out the carpet, as well as removing the heating and cooling system. During the demolitions contractors found soda bottles from the 1960s. Of those found, three – Pepsi, Coke and Sprite – were added to the University’s archives and special collections.

A temporary construction elevator was built on the outside of Ganser for the contractors use only. Safety precautions have also been taken so that people can’t get into the building.

As a result of the renovations, some of the library books were moved to an off-site storage location, but there are more than 10,000 items being held in Gehart Hall, the temporary library location. During the demolition phase, a number of library employees are working together on a project to organize all of the books under one classification system.

Before the project, the books were separated into two collections: The Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress. Together, the workers are transitioning all of the books from the Dewey collection to the Library of Congress. The workers have already reclassified more than 3,000 books. “This is a great organization process for when the library reopens,” says Dorney. “The search for books will be much easier, with one overall hierarchy of order.”

Fall was the first semester that the library staff worked in Gehart Hall. According to Dorney, “The concern has been lack of study and computing space, rather than obtaining the right books or articles for research projects.”

“We are working hard to take the concerns and issues from last semester and come up with solutions, so there is less of a burden on the students,” said Dorney. “For example, this semester Gerhart Hall and the library-sponsored study rooms will have increased hours during the last two weeks of the semester.”

Check out this video slide show to see the how the library went from being packed up into boxes to being completely gutted:

For more information on the library renovations, contact Dorney at Erin.Dorney@millersville.edu or 717-872-3617, or visit the library renovation blog.