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Briscoe Library Renovations Summary

"If a library is deserted, it's not necessarily because the Internet has taken over.  It's more likely … that the building itself is outdated, poorly lit, underfinanced, and depressing -- say, a 1960s relic that is less attractive than another place to study, like a friend's house or a local coffee shop. It could be that the library has not added amenities … to accommodate the way students work today."

Chronicle of Higher Education (http://chronicle.com/weekly/v52/i06/06b00101.htm)

Overview:

On-site use of the Briscoe Library has grown by 4-10% each year for the past ten years.  Although the library use of print journals and photocopying has significantly declined, use of library technology has skyrocketed.  Changes in the way the library is used indicate a full scale renovation is needed. 

In preparation for a major Library renovation, the first step has been to gain input from primary stakeholders and clients. 

Client recommendations:

Students provide approximately 75% of the on-site use of the library and 1/8 of the library’s funding through student fees.  In two recent surveys, students requested library renovations: 

• Increased number and better placement of electrical outlets for laptop use
• Renovations to library bathrooms, fixtures and plumbing
• Better lighting
• Improvements to HVAC
• Better soundproofing
• Better, different, more group study rooms
• Bigger study tables, more comfortable chairs
• Coffee and snack bars, especially for after hours studying
• Improvements to library furniture and fixtures for ADA compliance, improved ergonomics
• 24/7 access
• Improvements to library security
• Improved entry and exit doors
• Speaker “make-ready” room, where they could practice before making class presentations.  Would include technology for PowerPoint presentations.
• Parking spots with parking meters allocated for the Library

Faculty members also requested renovations and improvements in the LibQual+ survey.  Most often requested items from faculty include:

• Increased number of meeting and conference rooms
• Upgraded interactive video services for off-campus teaching
• Increased number of computers in computer classroom
• Improved technology in library classrooms
• An on-campus conference facility in the library
• A testing center
• A faculty center in the library
• Temporary offices for visiting faculty and candidates from off-campus
• Parking spots with parking meters allocated for the Library
• A space for faculty get away. Reservable quiet-space to focus on writing papers or proposals.

Administrators have requested:

• A student lounge to meet SACS accreditation
• Temporary assignable space for off-campus visitors (24-48 hour  assignable)
• A single service point (rather than 3) to increase customer responsiveness
• Carpet and linoleum replaced, especially where hazardous
• Changes to library fixtures for improved visibility, security
• Fire safety renovations
• Space for ACET
• Conversion of stack space to accommodate greater use of electronic journals
• Kiosks for phone conversations to reduce complaints about noise

Facilities management staff have recommended:

• Replacement of light fixtures for longer bulb life, better lighting
• Carpet and linoleum replaced
• Improvements/updating of bathroom tiles, fixtures
• Updating of HVAC to better regulate temperature and air flow
• Fire safety improvements in Nixon Library

Library staff have requested:

• Single service point
• More teaching classrooms
• Increased number of library offices near service points
• Library staff departments co-located
• More computers in the computer laboratory
• Larger collaboratory with locks to secure technology
• Upgrades to 23-year old cubicles
• Improvements in heating, cooling, airflow
• Key card access to secure areas
• Improved restrooms
• Improved lighting
• Ergonomic workspaces
• Humidity-controlled storage for rare books
• Weatherproofed exit door
• Better and more secure housing for University Archives, moving them from the dry shell to a more flood-proof and accessible location

 Summary of Comments from LibQual+ Survey, conducted for SACS.
(Only comments related to renovations)

• I rated the comments on group study very low because there are no areas that promote group study. Any time I attempt to study in a room to go over material with someone else, I am constantly approached about how the walls aren't sound proof. It doesn't allow dialogue when you worried about being heard next door.
• I want longer hours, open later, more tables, cheaper printing, pencil sharpeners on every floor.
• I study at the Briscoe library often and I would like to see more group study areas. The library also needs to be renovated/updated with new decorations/furniture and lighting. The bathrooms also need to be renovated because they are very dark and old looking.
• Gets too crowded during test weeks.
• I'm sure that it's not really possible but soundproof study rooms would be wonderful.  Also temperature control in the rooms is a problem and most thermostats don't work in the rooms.
• I am here studying an extraordinary amount of time, and the worst complaint I have is that the restrooms get nasty fast when there are many people here. An extra trashcan would be helpful, and definitely some serious ventilation/odor control.
• The only other thing that I can think of is needing more group study rooms, and possibly adding ID card locks to help prevent theft.
• I wish they would let us park by the library during the week between 8 am to 5 pm. Some of us have zone 4 or 5 tags and sometimes is cumbersome to go to the library all the way from the parking lot to the other side of school during hot summer days
• The only improvement I can recommend is for there to be more 30 minute parking spaces for individuals who are not zone 2 or have a reserved space.  It is extremely difficult to visit the library before 5pm with only 4-5 parking spaces available for those students who have zone 4 and 5 permits.
• The RAHC Library has … a beautiful, inviting environment.  It is hard for me to understand how the Briscoe library has so much less space to house the things I use when it is actually larger, but it lacks the inviting tables; the multitude of computers, with shielding for privacy from one's neighbor; multiple copies of textbooks for students to check out.
• There are never enough rooms available for group study, and it would be beneficial if there were more areas that would allow us to study in groups.
• I wish we had a few more quiet spots in the library.
• The library should be OPEN 24/7
• Over all the staff are very helpful.  However the library is not open long enough, the couches along the windows desperately need to be replaced, and the rooms with the sliding doors need to be sound proofed and have their climate control meters fixed.  The new chairs are an improvement.
• Longer hours would be great.  That's all!
• It can get noisy in the library and it would be nice if staff could tell people to keep it down.  I really like the new chairs and computers.  Staff has always been very courteous and helpful.
• I noticed that the computers at the second floor which is meant to be used by faculty, staff and students at UTHSCSA are quite slow compare to the computers which are available at the third floor which is also being accessed and for the public use.  I would prefer to be at the second floor which is quiet but the computers are a little bit slow.
• At San Antonio College there is a nice Java computer space where students can have some snacks, coffee and work.  That would be nice for our campus.
• library is often crowded, bathrooms don’t have enough ventilation, need Photoshop 7.0 and Mathematica installed on computer(s), hours are too limited, the 2 week check-out period for books is way too short, the main exit needs a modern detector like all other libraries so users wont have inconvenience in showing books every time they exit the library, highly need to expand general collection of books, not being able to use Tex-Share between semesters (when it is really needed) is a major drawback.
• Would like to see the information desk staffed during the same hours as the circulation desk.  There should not be any difference in the hours of operation between the two regardless of any statistics that show otherwise.  It is sometimes inconvenient  when users or patrons have to be turned away because the reference desk is not staffed the same hours as the circulation desk.  It is often the only time that a patron can come into the library and it is a missed opportunity at times for the possibility in learning or advancement if the reference desk happens to be closed.
• Longer Hours!  You should be open until 2am everyday, and the week before finals and the week of finals you should be open 24hrs a day!  I can't study at home, I have to go the library to do so.

If your ideas are not represented here, please call the Director of Libraries at 210-567-2400 or email: tobia@uthscsa.edu.  No funds allocated for renovations, yet, but we are beginning to work on the designs. We need your input.