Library Opens for Business

New Carpet. New Chairs. No Asbestos.

Summer hours:

Mon - Thurs 8.30am - 9.00pm

Fri 8.30am - 5.00 pm

Sat & Sun closed

And We're Back

The Library re-opened today -- most library services resume as normal.

New carpet, new chairs!

We Didn't Learn This in Graduate School!

Usually when librarians talk about "weeding" and "pruning" they are referring to withdrawing or removing books, periodicals or other materials from the collection.

But Sylvia Rortvedt (Associate Director) and Matt Todd (Collection Development Librarian) did some actual foliage pruning today during some serious indoor gardening. Above: Matt pruning the Norfolk Pine in the main reading area.

(It finally happened! The re-carpeting project drove Matt and Sylvia up a tree)

More New Stuff!

In preparation for re-opening the Library to students, faculty and staff, the Group Study Rooms had a make-over:


(above and below: each Group Study Room has a new table and new chairs. The rooms also have dry-erase white boards)

Moving In: Moving Pains

Not everything went smoothly.

(above: moving the Circulating collection back to the shelves. Many of the books had been stored on these large rolling book trucks for the duration)

(above: the Circulating collection back on the shelves. So do the books go on the shelves from left to right or from right to left? If in doubt, do it both ways!!)

(above: not everything got put back in quite the right place...)

(above: and not everything got put back in quite the right order)

Library staff are working hard to get the Library re-opened by Monday June 7th.

Moving Back In

Slowly but surely, things return to normal.

(above: the Reference Collection back on the shelves -- and in correct order!!)

(above: the Circulation Desk, back in place. Note the empty reserve shelves and the new tile floor)

(above: the "living room" furniture, back in the living room, but not yet in place)

Carpeting is done!

...and the Big Move begins. Carpeting and asbestos abatement are finally completed, and Library staff began moving furniture, offices, computers and books back in place.

(above: Norfolk pines back in place!)

(above: the books ready to go back on the shelves)

(above: books in crates and on carts, getting ready to go back on the shelves)

(above: the librarians moving back into their office)

Progress -- the home stretch!

The abatement is finally completed, the carpeting is almost completed and the new tile in the entrance is in place.

(above: moving the stacks, one shelf at a time!)

(aove: the circulating collection stacks -- with no books!)

(above: the collection in crates. This is (was!) the faculty librarians' office)

(above: chairs, chairs, chairs!)

Librarians can alphabetize...

...but can they count?

Friday's challenge was numbering the shelves so the books (which are in all those numbered crates (see below) can be reshelvd in order.

All together: ONE shelf, TWO shelves, THREE shelves...

This post was brought to you by the number 2001. Or 2012. Or 2043. Which is maybe how many shelves there are in the circulating collection.

Work in the Library continues

Carpeting and asbestos abatement (and the removal and storage of furniture, books, and shelves to make the work possible) continues.

(above: Extent of the work going on inside the Library becomes obvious for the first time outside the Library as the front doors are sealed, cordoned off, and posted with warning signs).

(above: the "back door" of the Library, leading to the circulation desk and staff offices. Caution!)

Work is expected to be completed, and the Library reopened to students, faculty and staff, in early June.

Moving the collection

The book stacks, relocated near the windows. The yellow crates (all 2,000 of them) are storing the books:

The people who made it all possible

Our brave movers:

And Kathy Clement: the project manager:

Progress downstairs

Work continues on the main level:

(above: the main floor, tented)

(above: the Reference area, no carpet!)

(above: the stairs are wood!)

(above: the original carpet -- orange!)

(above: the books in crates)

The balcony is done!

The upper level of the Library is re-carpeted, furniture moved back in, and the plants are back home!

Library carpet: progress!

The upper level of the Library is done! All the furniture, shelving, print periodicals, and plants were removed, the old carpet was ripped up, and new carpet laid (below).




After the carpet was laid, all t furniture was put back in place, the periodicals re-shelved, and in a delicate operation, the plants were returned!

Work continues on the main level.

A look at the new carpet:

Guess the name of the pattern:

A) Belly Flop

B) Belly Dancer

C) Dance Party

D) Party Crasher

Some Library services continue to be available in Room 234.

Stop by and see us.

Library Recarpeting: progress report

The Library project is moving ahead. Check here for updates.

To facilitate some of the dangerous and messy work, parts of the Library have to be sealed off with plastic sheeting:

(above: wrapping the stairs to the upper level)

(above: the stairs completely wrapped in plastic. Watch those books! They are next to go!)

(above: where did the books go? All the books had to be moved off the shelves and onto these carts)

(above: many of the books were packed into these yellow crates. You can see the empty shelves. All the shelving will have to be dismantled).

(above: as part of the process, all of the furniture in the Library had to be removed or moved out of the way. Here are study tables stacked on end, with more of those book crates. There are over 60,000 volumes in the Library collection that must be moved and stored, and 21,000 square feet to be carpeted).

Carpeting in room 327 (the Libray classroom) has been completed! Computers are being installed today.

Carpeting has begun on the upper level of the Library and should be completed tomorrow.

Remember: for the duration of the Library re-carpeting project, computers are available in the Open Computer Center in Room 155.

Study space is available throughout the Bisdorf Building -- look especially for the tables and chairs set up in the new wing, or Phase III.

Library staff can be contacted in room 234. You can also return materials in room 234, and find Reserve materials (text books).

Why can't I use the Library?

The Alexandria Campus Library is currently undergoing significant work for a re-carpeting project.


(above) Over the weekend (!), our dedicated crew of movers loaded all the books into these yellow boxes.

(above) The Library Reference area and main seating area, with all the furniture and shelving (and books!) removed.

(above) Where did all the furniture go? It's all piled up in the Circulation area!

NOTE: Some Library services are available for the duration of this project in room 234.

Library Services in Room 234

Welcome to the Library's temporary new "home". While the Library is being completely recarpeted (which requires removal of all the furniture and the all the book stacks!), Library staff will relocate to Bisdorf Room 234, right across the hall, to provide services to students.


Beginning May 17, some Library services will be available in room 234 from 8.30am - 7.30pm Monday - Thursday and 8.30am - 5pm Fridays. The Library does not have weekend hours during the summer.

Services available in room 234 include: course reserves, research assistance, daily newspapers, resolving student holds & fines, and intercampus loan delivery.

Please note: during the recarpeting, for safety reasons, the Library is required to close to faculty and staff as well as students. The print collection of books and periodicals will not be available during this time.

NOVA students may borrow materials from any NOVA campus library with a NOVAcard.

Electronic resources, including e-books, are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from the Library homepage. Research assistance is available online from the Ask a Librarian page.

Computers are available on campus in the Open Computer Center.

The carpeting throughout the Library has been in need of replacement for many years. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming summer students back to the Library in the first week of June!

New Carpet

Student surveys said the Library looked "dated" and "shabby." We agree! So the Library is getting new carpet!

In order for the old carpet to be removed and the new carpet laid, the Library will CLOSE on Tuesday 11 May. For safety reasons, the Library will remain closed until the project is completed.

Beginning May 17, limited Library services (reserves, research assistance, hold removal, and intercampus loan pick up) will be available in Bisdorf Room 234 -- right across the hall from the Library's main entrance.

Check this space for updates. Or visit the Library Homepage. Or stop by Room 232 -- there will be signs posted on the front doors with new information as we have it.

Thanks for your patience.

We're looking forward to beautiful new carpet.

Students study early and late!

For the last week of classes and the week of final exams the Library opened 30 minutes early and stayed open an hour later.



Over 640 students used the Library earlier or later than normal term-time hours.