In this issue:

The Director's Report: Library Renovation

Highwire: An e-journal platform that keeps getting better

Finding Meeting and Conference Paper Abstracts

Security for your PDA

Pubmed Update

Electronic Journals FAQ

Web Watcher:
Grants or Funding Sources

Depression and Anxiety: The Johns Hopkins White Papers

New Circulating Laptops

New Public Computers
Coming Soon!

e-Medicine: A New Database

Longer Sunday Hours

Create Change: An advocacy brochure for Open Access

Highlights from the Library
Open House, Fall 2003

Update Archives

The Director’s Report by Ralph D. Arcari, Ph.D Director, Lyman Maynard Stowe Library

Library Renovation

On December 10, 2003, at a press conference held here in the Academic Research Building, Governor Rowland announced that funding for improvements in educational resources at the University of Connecticut Health Center would be on the agenda for the Bonding Commission meeting to be held on December 19th. Included in these improvements would be the first phase of Library renovation at $1.58 million. At its meeting, the Commission did approve this funding.

A year ago, the architectural firm of DuBose Associates, Hartford, was retained to plan the renovation of the L.M. Stowe Library. It is the portion of these plans that relate to the main entrance floor of the Library that will be implemented with this funding. The upper floor of the Library will be done when subsequent funding is available.

The major changes that will be made in this renovation are four:

1. The front door will be relocated so that the Library entrance is at the bottom of the circular stairway leading to the Library and not to the right as is the current arrangement.
2. A twenty-four hour study room will be created in the space where the circulation desk is now located; the present main door will be the after-hours entrance for this room.
3. The circulation and reference desks will be combined into a single point of service desk to the left of the new entrance.
4. Bathrooms will be installed.

However, before the above modifications can be implemented two significant projects must be completed. First, an asbestos abatement program is necessary because there is a substantial amount of this material in the plaster ceilings. Second, the duct work for the heating and ventilation system will be reconfigured. The present ducting will be replaced so that the renovated Library can be held to an even temperature with minimal drafts. To upgrade the Library’s features and retain the present ill-designed air handling system would be to invest in improved appearance and space use while discouraging patron use because the area is too hot, cold or drafty.

This renovation is slated to start in mid-March, 2004 and end by the beginning of the next academic year, September 2004. The noise level in the Library during this period will not be quiet. The construction period of time, though, is short with much of the work taking place over the summer months. Once done, the noise and disruption will seem to be a small price for the benefits received in creating a facility that can serve as a 21st century library in contrast to the present structure designed in the 1960s and to which no changes have been made in over 35 years.