The MIT community is invited to an open house and dedication of the new and renovated spaces in the Hayden Libraries (Building 14) on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
During construction over the summer, the main entrance to the Hayden Libraries was temporarily relocated as several library spaces were worked on. The main entrance at Room 14S-100 has now been reopened.
A 24-hour study room now located at the entrance features traditional library seating as well as comfortable chairs, computer workstations, a printer, wireless network connectivity, a photocopier and two group study rooms.
Just inside the renovated entrance is an integrated service desk that will streamline service to the more than 1,000 people who utilize the Hayden Libraries every day. The desk combines book-borrowing and return, interlibrary borrowing and course reserves for both the Science and Humanities libraries. Next to it are new public computer clusters. The Science Library reference desk is at the far end of the service desk.
The new E. Martin (1944) and Ethel Wunsch Conservation Laboratory will allow the Hayden Libraries to improve management of repairs to the heavily used circulating materials while adding an important new function: rare book conservation. New equipment and facilities will help sustain sophisticated conservation treatments of the libraries' older, rare and unique collections, allowing these fragile materials once again to be used by students and faculty.
The Institute Archives and Special Collections area also was renovated to provide a more pleasant working environment for readers, better security for the materials and sufficient work space for staff. Also improved are the MIT Libraries Systems and Technology Services, which maintains the hundreds of public and staff workstations in the library units across campus and assists Libraries staff in making collections and services available over the campus network.
"These wonderful facilities are the result of more than two years of planning and implementation," said Director of Libraries Ann Wolpert. "With their broad range of services and resources, these spaces represent an important continuing step for the MIT Libraries in the commitment to furthering the Institute's mission of excellence in education and research."
The Oct. 9 event will include tours of all new areas as well as refreshments. A short program will be held at 4:45 p.m. Please RSVP to 253-9323 or events-lib@mit.edu.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 2, 2002.
