The number of students in the Killam tends to lessen in the summer, but that doesn’t mean we stop working. In fact, we take advantage of the fact that many students are enjoying a few months off by getting as many big projects done as we can, and this summer is no exception!
Here’s what’s happening in the Killam this summer, and how it might affect you:
1. Special Collections (fifth floor) is closed this summer. But don’t panic, just ring the bell at the Archives (also on the fifth floor) for assistance. The Special Collections area is closed to allow for:
• repairing of the perimeter walls
• carpet replacement
• moving the Music Collection to the first floor (into the North Learning Commons), meaning more hours to access the Music Collection in the future!
Staff will have access to Special Collections for retrieval purposes, so just let staff at the Killam Library Service Point or at the Archives know of your needs and we will get it for you. The Archives and Special Collections Reading Room will reopen in the fall. In the coming weeks, we’ll be opening room 5105 to serve as the temporary service point for all of your Archives and Special Collections questions. For now, please continue to ring the bell at the entrance of the Archives for assistance.
We are also moving three listening stations into the North Learning Commons. Please ask staff at the Killam Library Service Point, or in the Archives, for music that you want and they will retrieve it for you. We hope to have the listening stations moved into the North Learning Commons by the end of this week.
2. Microform Collections (currently in the North Learning Commons) are moving to make room for the Music Collection.
• The Microfiche Collection will be going to the basement, retrieval for these items is available through the Killam Library Service Point.
• The Microform reference materials are moving to the JJ Stewart room (South Learning Commons).
• The Microfilm Collection will be moving to G62 (in the South Learning Commons). That room will be open to the public, although due to the small size of the room and the size of the collection, we were not able to make the room wheelchair accessible. Please ask for assistance at the Killam Library Service Point.
3. Other items that will be moved from North Learning Commons to make room for the Music Collection include:
• Government Document Reference Material is moving to 2nd floor with the rest of the government documents.
• Reference indexes are going to the JJ Stewart room (off the South Learning Commons), and some are going to the stacks. Please check the catalogue for specific titles.
4. The atrium hallways are getting a facelift with some fresh, colourful paint. This work will begin with the task of removing the wallpaper. Workers will start on floors 3 and 4 on Tuesday, June 17. We expect this work will be disruptive due to the use of equipment such as a HEPA vacuum. The painting will start some time after the wallpaper has been removed. The exact start time is unknown as the painters are currently in the middle of another job elsewhere on campus, but we expect this work will be finished before the fall term starts.
5. The math journals from the Chase Building are being reintegrated into the main stacks.
Thanks to all the staff who are working so hard to make these moves happen! And thank you to our library users for your patience while we carry out this work. Please ask staff if you have any questions about any of the moves.
We look forward to serving you better in our refreshed and reconfigured spaces.