Walk into the Murray Library this week, and you’ll see some big changes as soon as you come in. Our check-out desk is under construction! This is the first of many major renovations expected to happen in Murray over the next few years, thanks to the university’s bond.

The Reserve shelving area has been consolidated, and soon a new office space will be built along the back windows for our circulation staff. While this new space is being built, the entire reserve area, as well as a large portion of the circulation desk have been walled off by the construction crew. Our centre island has been demolished and our reserves counter will be downsized.

This is what you see when you walk into the library now. A big white wall.

For the first time in a long time (or maybe ever?) students who want to borrow reserve items at Murray will have to follow the same procedures as they do at the other branches: look up the item’s call number and show it to the staff, who will then retrieve it for them.

Rachel H. cheerfully models our new uniforms.

Our high-demand reserve material will remain on book trucks behind the desk, but there are still many lower-demand items trapped in the construction zone. Several Murray staff members attended site safety orientation, and are now prepared to retrieve these reserve items when students request them. It won’t be a quick process – we have to don safety boots, vests, gloves and hardhats before we’re allowed to enter the construction zone. But we’ll do anything to get our beloved students the resources they need. (And any excuse to walk around in a fun hardhat is a good one.)