Organizational ChangesFour years ago when we began planning the new Library building, the Library management
team made a number of space decisions that also mandated organizational modifications.
On April 12, 2000, the Cabinet held a daylong off-campus retreat to begin working through
some of these changes. In the new building, the Periodicals Processing & Binding unit, now
the province of the Associate Librarian for Collection Development will be co-located with
Government Publications & Microforms and report to Jane Cramer, the librarian in charge
of those areas. Similarly, Reserves (also part of the portfolio of the Associate Librarian
for Collection Development) will be adjacent to Circulation and begin to report to Miriam
Deutch, the Associate Librarian for Research and Access Services.
Longer Hours for a Larger BuildingThrough a combination of schedule changes, staff transfers, an infusion of new dollars,
and one new position, we hope to extend the hours of operation in the new Library building.
In the spring 2000 the Cabinet established planning assumptions for the new space:
The new Library is 62% larger than the existing building. It will contain 6.5
acres of floor space, 15.5 miles of shelving, and 2,400 student seats.
The new Library is also far more sophisticated technologically, with nearly 1,000
public net taps (versus the present 300) and a multimedia distribution system.
In the new Library, staff will deliver more services, from more service points.
For example:
The New Media Center does not even exist in the present Library. For the first time ever, the music collection (scores, books, sound
recordings) will be accessible every hour the Library is open, a
significant service upgrade.The same is true for the audiovisual collection, whose availability will
jump from 40 to 72 hours of service.The numbers of workstations near the Reference desk and the
service point on the lower level will double on Day One.The new building will attract significantly more readers. Not only will it be well-
located, spacious, and built to a high aesthetic standard, it will also offer three to
four times as many seats, more and better equipment, and greater creature
comforts. It will contain the largest student computer lab on campus--140
machines in the second floor New Media Center.
Brooklyn's Weekend College is growing and craving more Library hours.
As the centerpiece of the campus, it seems unimaginable that the new Library will
close at 1:00 PM on Fridays and offer only half a day's service on Sunday.
If the College is to get the public relations benefit from the new Library that it
should, a respectable pattern of hours and services is essential.
The Library Cabinet performed a variety of scheduling simulations for the new building's
several service points. We thought long and hard about the locations from which students
most need help, the sort of help required, and whether this assistance could best be
provided by professional or supporting staff. In October 2000 the Cabinet presented a
plan to the College administration that calls for increasing hours by 12.5 percent and
requested the necessary resources: one new line and $91,089 for part-time staff.
