Proposal to merge libraries
$150 million plan proposes merging of staff, facilities
By Michael Howerton
Plans to improve and expand library space on campus have been
submitted to Chancellor Charles Young’s office with hopes that
construction could begin soon.
The $150 million proposal includes plans to consolidate the 13
libraries on campus into six, add extensions to both the Biomedical
and University Research libraries and modernize all library space
on campus.
The university library (URL) now rates as one of the top five in
the nation, according to university librarian Gloria Werner. There
is increasing concern that to keep that distinction, the library
will have to change to meet the new library technology and to
counter the debilitating budget cuts.
"It’s our outstanding instructional and research facilities that
attracts the best students and faculty," said Executive Vice
Chancellor Andrea Rich. "It’s very important to sustain our ranking
in the top five in order to continue to attract them."
Under the proposal, the six consolidated libraries will be an
improved and renovated Powell Library, the newly constructed
Anderson Graduate School of Management Library, an expanded URL, an
greatly renovated and enlarged Biomedical Library, and then two
brand new library facilities.
One of the new libraries would be a consolidation of the
Engineering and Math Sciences, Chemistry, Geology/Geophysics, and
Physics libraries into one huge Physical Science Library. The other
new facility, would be a merger of the existing arts and music
libraries into one building.
Part of the plan to get the project underway is to use the funds
that are expected from FEMA to repair the quake damaged Dickson and
Kinsey to jump start the work on the new libraries.
If the FEMA grants are provided within the next couple of
months, it would give the whole project great momentum and
construction would begin immediately.
It has been 30 years since anything substantial has been done
about library space on campus, Werner said, adding that if the
university library is to keep up with the service demanded of it,
"we need a whole new plan."
A report issued in October 1993 looked into recommending library
changes and concluded that, "There is much that is right about the
Library, but some changes are necessary if it is to keep pace with
the accelerated rate of change in library services and information
systems."
The shrinking state budget, coupled with a need for improved
services, has severely deteriorated the library’s ability to
operate in the way it traditionally has, Werner said. The lack of
funds and reduced staff make it increasingly necessary to
restructure the library system.
The renovation of Powell Library accelerated the consolidation
process for the Education & Psychology Library. When Powell
underwent construction, the education and psychology collections
were split between URL and the Biomedical Library.
Being part of the first library to go through the consolidation
process, Diane Childs, education bibliographer and reference
librarian, warned of some of the process other libraries on campus
could expect under the proposed changes.
"It was a painful experience," she said. "The separation of the
library was a disadvantage, it broke the link between between
psychology and education which are very interrelated."
She also explained that the experience of the Education &
Psychology Library, while partly illustrative of what the other
libraries can expect, was more severe than the proposed outlines
for the other libraries on campus.
"Besides being the first to be consolidated, the painful thing
was that the collection was split up," she explained. "The other
libraries will lose something in the process, but it will not be
the same as the dismantling that the Education & Psychology
Library experienced."
Although there might be individuals within the libraries who may
disagree with the consolidation plans, the libraries as a whole are
in favor of it, said Brian Schottlaender, assistant university
librarian.
"There were two choices," he said. "Either to downsize the staff
with the units configured the way they were until there is not
enough staff to run the facilities, or to retain the staff and cut
down on the physical units to serve the university."
The changes are also designed to increase student access and
reduce frustration, said Rita Scherrei, associate university
librarian.
"Studies are becoming more interdisciplinary," she said, "and
having collections near each other will help students."
While Childs said that some of the pain that was caused with the
consolidation of the Education & Psychology Library still
remains, she added that hard economic times leave few options for
the university.
"Given the funding available, the space available and the
prospects for the future, as painful as it is, I can not see what
realistic alternative there would be (to the committee proposal),"
she said.
The plan to improve the library "Will require a balance between
more efficient and cost-saving management strategies and
improvement in the physical environment of the Library," the
proposal states.
One of the major problems outlined in the report is a lack of
space. It found that, "The UCLA Library currently functions in
about one half of the recommended space."
The consolidation of the 13 current libraries into six expanded
facilities will provide a more efficient use of space and be a
benefit for students, Werner said. Motivation for the project was
not so much to accommodate the library materials, but rather the
library users, she said.
The plans emphasize more study areas and rooms, more space for
special departments and additional computer facilities. Werner said
she hopes there will be amenities to benefit students such as a
24-hour study lounge in the renovated Powell and glass terraced
reading rooms added onto the URL overlooking the sculpture
garden.
The service departments are especially cramped, having long
outgrown there allotted space, Werner said.
"We are now scattered around campus and off campus," said David
Zeidberg, head of special collections.
The expansion of URL would allow special collections to be
contained at one site, alleviating the confusion and difficulties
of managing a split up collection, he said.
Zeidberg cautioned that the implementation of the plan will be
long range, and it might be 15 years until he sees his whole
collection in the one building.
The Library committee turned in their report containing the
recommendations for the library renovations the week before last,
requesting that Chancellor Young give it priority in the next
capital campaign. Once the funds are allocated to the project, the
library will bring in architects to envision the plans based on
those funds, Werner said.
"Hopefully, we will be given the green light," Werner said. "If
we can do this, we will have transformed the whole campus
environment."
The proposals for the next capital campaign, which is a
fundraising effort targeting donations from the private community,
will be reviewed this spring and the decisions will be made by
mid-summer or fall, said Rich, who coordinates the internal
priorities for the capital campaign.
The main criteria for the issues that get priority in the
campaign is whether they will be attractive to the donating public,
she explained.
"Ideas are tested on focus groups in the donating community and
then objectives are set in terms of what the public will be
responsive to," she said.
The donations that come in from these campaigns are more
important now than they ever were before due to lessening state
support, she said.
While Rich acknowledged that the price tag on the library
proposal could be a problem, the chances for its approval are
good.
"The proposal has received a lot of support from the executive
committee," she said, "and the library did a great job with the
proposal …"
If implemented, Rich said, the library renovations would be a
"major contribution for the future of UCLA."