Despite the bright yellow caution tape and loud drilling noises, the basement of Hayden Library is open, and the rest of the library is expected to open January 2020.
The Concourse level
The underground, lower concourse of the renovated Hayden Library is open and ready for students to use after many months of construction.
This section of Hayden includes new study rooms for students, wellness rooms, a silent reflection room, new classrooms, lactation rooms for parents on campus and a student help desk that is currently available for use.
Other additions include an outdoor seating area, a potential scheduling system so students can book study rooms through an app and a POD market opening Monday, Sept. 16.
Until the two main entrances open, students can access the lower concourse through the staircase entry leading to the basement or the new staircase, which is northeast of the basement entry and behind the current construction.
Jennifer Duvernay, an associate librarian for communications and donor relations, said the new classrooms at Hayden are already occupied with current classes. Students are able to use the classrooms as a study space if a class is not in session.
Duvernay also said the bookshelves outside of each classroom feature books and genres that correlate with the classes being taught in the room.
Duvernay said each level of the library will have a different feel.
Main floor
Once renovations are complete, the main floor will be a space for students to hang out, grab a bite to eat or peruse the distinctive book collections lining the hallways. The first floor will be the home to a café and plenty of seating areas.
As a library, Duvernay said a main priority during renovations was keeping books and learning resources on every floor.
Duvernay said the book collections are unique to ASU, featuring Southwest and indigenous materials.
“We’ve really been focused on serving researchers and scholars and exposing students and the community to these new materials,” said Duvernay.
Second floor
The second floor of the library will have categorized bookshelves in order to maintain what Duvernay called a "bookstore feeling."
“It will be easier to explore for books than a traditional library without all the call numbers,” Duvernay said.
This level will be used as a place to study, with plenty of quiet rooms and presentation rooms intertwined with memoirs and history lining the halls.
Third floor
The third floor will be a hub for all things science and technology, including new equipment and innovative ideas.
Brittany Lewis, communications specialist for the University, said the third level will be a "think, collaboration and innovation" space for students.
Lewis said the third floor will be the home to data science and analytics rooms, a media lab, a mkrspace and map and geospatial hub.
She said new technology lending will include equipment such as DSLR cameras, light kits and virtual reality technology.
“The third floor will be a space where you can connect with people, whether they're experts, potential collaborators or other students,” Lewis said.
Fourth floor
Level four will have traditional bookshelves, along with seating for quiet individual studying and some display feature collections as well, similar to the second floor.
Shari Laster, associate librarian and project manager of the Future of Print, said the Hayden Library renovation will assist their mission by exposing new book collections to students.
"Once the new building is open, there will be a lot of new and different kinds of collections (of books)," Laster said. "These collections are going to be things that grow, change and shift over time."
Laster said the Future of Print hopes they will be able to work with students, staff and community members to create more book collections in Hayden and other libraries.
"This renovation gives us the opportunity to showcase our collections in engaging and inviting ways," said Laster.
Reach the reporter at mfsadegh@asu.edu and follow @SadeghiMckenzie on Twitter.
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