In response to budget strain and the rising use of electronic resources, by June 2011 the Engineering library will have all of its print collections relocated into other University libraries. Its electronic collections, which represent 99 percent of the library’s materials used by students, will be enhanced to maximize their use for learning and research.

During and after the process of relocation, students will still have access to the study space and computer labs of the library, according to a report released by the University Library system in late June. 

When the relocation of the library’s print materials is finished, its librarians will remain in Carpenter Hall, home of the Engineering Library and the college’s administrative offices. The librarians will provide students with reference expertise in using the library’s online collections.

At the end of this renovation process, the Engineering library will come out with an incremented number of online sources, which include technical papers, e-books and journals.

The most demanded print items, such as the textbooks part of course reserves, will be moved to the Uris and Olin libraries. Other print collections, including all bound journal volumes, will be relocated to the Library Annex.  Items located in the Library Annex are still on circulation and available upon request.

By the beginning of next summer, no print collections should remain in  Carpenter Hall.

For Catherine Vellake, evening supervisor and stacks manager of the Engineering Library, the changes taking place in the University’s library system reflect the evolving environment of libraries all around the globe, which are “going more and more digital.”

“These changes have become more necessary and evident in libraries that deal with highly technological material, such as this engineering library,” Vellake said. “It is true that the paper collections have been used less and less in recent years.”

Vellake said that many members of the University community misconceive what is going to happen in the Engineering library. “Many people are misunderstanding the changes; the library is not closing.”

According to Vellake, of the approximately 2,300 people that use the library’s facilities daily, most of them use its study space and computers. “The computers available at this library have different types of software used daily by engineering students to complete their assignments,” she said.

Engineering students interviewed do not seem significantly affected by the changes to their library.

“I almost all the time study at Duffield Hall and do not use the library at all,” Alina Liu ’13 said.

For Vellake, the inauguration of Duffield Hall seemed to impact the amount of students using the Engineering Library. “The availability of both spaces creates a nice balance, given that most students use Duffield for group studying, while the library for individual study and research,” she said.

Ashton Delaney ’13 also said he would not be affected by the changes about to take place because he hardly uses the library’s resources. “I’ve only used the computers there,” he said. “If books are moved or digitized, I probably won’t notice.”

After the relocation of the print collections is finalized, the library’s study space may become accessible 24 hours a day for engineering students.

With the conclusion of the relocation process by the end of next summer, support staff positions are expected to be eliminated, according to the University Library factsheet.

University community members will be able to voice their concerns and suggestions about the relocation process in forums and information sessions to take place throughout this semester.