Renovating a Library for the 21st Century
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The UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library occupies a building completed in 1974. By the mid-1990's, many aspects of the building were obsolete. The Library was renovated between 1998 and 2001, with the goal of accommodating changes in medical education and information technology well into the 21st century. The renovation goals are listed and illustrated with post-renovation photos and plans of the Main Floor. --Relocate Information Desk adjacent to new entrance/exit and Computer Commons. --Make services and collections visible from the entrance. --Improve traffic flow at entrance. --Create spacious, quiet group study rooms for collaborative learning among students. Seventeen group studies were built. --Make power and network connections widely available. Every study carrel and many study tables now have pop-up power and network boxes. --Create an Informatics Classroom suitable for a variety of teaching situations. --For maximum flexibility in staff areas, remove permanent walls to create open offices. Use freestanding furniture-not wall or panels-to enclose staff workstations, to further flexibility. --Create "Privacy Rooms" that staff can use for informal meetings or to make phone calls in private.