UHD Library Blog

4th Floor North Grand Opening

It's finally here!

The new library space on 4th Floor North is now open.

The new space includes many features requested by students in past surveys:

• A new computer lab with color printing and an add-value station for printing
• Group study rooms for 4-10 students (some with LCD screens for laptops)
• Presentation practice rooms with LCD projectors, document cameras, etc.
• A reading room for individuals and small groups
• A vending machine area with café-style seating

Some study spaces will be available whenever One Main is open, even if the library is closed.

We wish to thank the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, the Ray C. Fish Foundation, and the Rockwell Fund for the generous donations that made this expansion possible. We also wish to thank President Castillo, Vice President David Bradley, UHD Facilities Management staff, and UHD Information Technology staff for their work in bringing the project from dream to reality. For a look at how their contributions have transformed the library, please see the 4th Floor Construction Slideshow.

The next phase of construction will be a renovation of the 5th Floor. Work on the 5th floor will result in the consolidation of staff offices, the repositioning of book and journal shelves to provide a more rational arrangement and better access for the disabled, more individual study spaces, and a new coffee house. Construction on phase two is expected to begin in 2009.

Construction Update : September 26-28

On Friday, September 26, a work crew will beginning pouring concrete for the new library entrance near the Main Street elevators on the 4th floor of the One Main Building. This work will continue throughout the weekend. When possible, the work has been scheduled for hours when the library is closed, but some noise may be audible in library study areas on the 5th floor during library hours.

Construction Update : August

Construction for the first phase of the library renovation will be completed soon.

The 4th floor extension is expected to open by November 2008.

The extension will include:

• a computer lab with color printing and an add-value station for print accounts
• 13 group study rooms for 4-10 students (some with LCD screens for laptops)
• 2 presentation practice rooms with LCD projectors, document cameras, etc.
• an open study room for individuals and small groups
• a vending machine area with café-style seating

To see construction photos, please visit our Photo Gallery.

Funding for this renovation is provided by:

• The State of Texas Higher Education Assistance Fund (HEAF)
• The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation ($20,000)
• The Ray C. Fish Foundation ($10,000)
• The Rockwell Fund, Inc. ($500,000)

Spring Break Hours

The library will be open the following hours over Spring Break:

• Saturday, March 15, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Sunday, March 16, CLOSED
• Monday, March 17, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 18, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 19, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (limited access)
• Thursday, March 20, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (limited access)
• Friday, March 21, CLOSED
• Saturday, March 22, CLOSED
• Sunday, March 23, CLOSED

There will only be limited access to the library on Wednesday, March 19, and Thursday, March 20, due to construction. For access to the library on these days, please call  (713) 221-8186.

There may be construction work at the library's Circulation Desk throughout the week. Most of the construction will take place after hours, but there may be some additional noise during the day and the entrance to the library computer lab will be temporarily narrowed. The circulation desk and computer lab should be back to normal for the resumption of classes on Monday, March 24.

Please Pardon Our Noise

Many people have commented lately about drilling noises in the library's North Tower. These sounds are caused by construction for the library's four floor expansion, which is currently scheduled to open during the fall 2008 semester. We apologize for the distraction and we hope you will bear with us as we work to expand the amount of study space available to students. For details about the expansion, please see the updated floor plan, furniture plan, and photo gallery.

4th Floor Renovation Update

After test holes were drilled over the holiday, construction of the stairway between the 4th and 5th floors has been delayed, but our construction crews continue to work on the 4th floor space and we expect that area to open in time for the fall semester as planned.

Here is an updated floor plan for the 4th floor space:

Library Construction Update

The library expansion project is underway. The fourth floor of the North Tower has been cleared to make room for a computer lab, study rooms, and library classrooms. You can see photos of the demolition work in our Photo Gallery.

Over the Winter Break, we will begin work on the next phase of construction -- the drilling of a hole for a new stairway between the fourth and fifth floors. Part of the current Circulation Desk will be removed during this phase of construction, so look for some noticeable changes in the new year!

Library Computer Use Changes

In line with UHD's concern for the environment and student resources, the Library is moving to control wasteful printing and modify alumni computer usage limits.

Beginning with the spring semester of 2008, printing in the Library at UH-Downtown will be controlled using the same system as in the UHD Academic Computing Lab. Rising paper and ink costs, in addition to the wasted print jobs found left behind every day, make it clear that unrestricted printing is taking a great toll on UHD student resources. The Library just wants you to think before you print!

Also in the new semester -- UHD alumni continue to be welcome to use four sit-down computers available in the Library on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as they have alumni cards. Previously, the Library has not had a time limit on this usage. However, with the rise in enrollment and consequent strain on resources, it has become necessary to limit alumni usage to two hours per day.

Watch this blog and notices in the Library computing area for further information.

Try It! (Maybe) You'll Like It!

Now featured in the Library's south tower -- sample furniture to try out for the library expansion! Come into the Library, turn left, and go all the way around the big service desk till you see the furniture. The furniture is numbered, and we have simple forms to rate it and make comments.

Facilities has been able to obtain some items from vendors to try out. They would be intended for use in open reader space and the computer lab in the expanded library.

We want your opinions, UHD folks -- you're the ones who will be using this furniture! Come by the Library (5th floor, One Main building, come up from the Main Street/light rail stop side) before Thanksgiving break, and give us your feedback. 

Library Expansion Floor Plans

Over the next two years, the library will undergo a major renovation and expansion project. The first phase of this project is beginning now on the fourth floor. Here are the proposed plans for the renovated library (click on an image to see a larger version of each image):