The Fine Arts Library, located in the Center for the Arts, will find a home in the new School of Architecture and Planning after its scheduled completion in October 2004.
Currently occupying almost 13,000 square feet, the library will expand into 26,000 square feet within the new facility - almost double its current size.
Roger Lujan, UNM Facilities Planning director, stated in a University press release that the space needs were so great that the Architecture, Fine Arts and Library deans decided that it was best to place the library in the Architecture building.
"The library had become so crowded that in order to add a volume, we had to pull a volume," UNM General Library acting dean Fran Wilkinson said in the release.
Although the design that architect Antoine Predock created for the new school did not include plans for the library, he said in the release that it could be accommodated.
"The original footprint or design can support the additional 26,000 square feet that will be added as an additional floor, partially subterranean, but with access to natural light," Predock said. "Primarily the subterranean areas will accommodate compact shelving.
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Lujan added that Predock's office will make the design changes.
Roger Schluntz, Architecture and Planning dean, said in the release that it is too early to tell how much change in the original design will take place, but added that "the principles and ideals of Predock will extend to the design revision, as well."
Lujan said that funding for the $5.5 million project will come from a future system revenue bond issue and the debt will be serviced by the facilities' fee component of student fees.
The library has 30,000 volumes stored off-site, located in Zimmerman Library in the Center for Southwest Research, the Centennial Science and Engineering Library and at the Elks Building. These materials will be returned to the Fine Arts Library in the new facility, making it possible for library users to browse the collections again.
Wilkinson added that the move will allow the library to provide comfortable space for students to look at the large art books, listen to CDs and view videos and DVDs.
She said that study space, computer space, small group study rooms and wireless computer capabilities will be added as well.
The additional benefit is that moving arts materials out of the other libraries will ease space problems in those facilities.
"We will work closely with the Fine Arts faculty to determine what should be housed there," Wilkinson said. "Theater, dance and film collections, currently housed in Zimmerman, could be moved to the new library, if that is what everyone agrees upon."
Schluntz said that the architecture faculty members are elated at the prospect of the library being in their new building.
"This move responds directly and forcefully to the architecture accreditation report that noted our lack of space for collections and users," he said.
Schluntz added that the library's presence in the architecture building will encourage fine arts and architecture collaboration.
Staff Report
