Renovations Expected for the Vanier Library
If you happened to miss Vanier’s town hall meeting on the renovations of the library, don’t worry, so did we, which is why we made sure to catch up and talk with the group of women in charge of the new plan. These women are Danielle Lafaille, Vanier’s Academic Dean, Alena Perout, Dean of the Library, Lise Bégin, Director of Financial and Administrative Services, and Joanie Robert, Space and Facilities Manager. The improvements will cost the approximate price of 4 million dollars, and are expected to last from May 2016 to January 2017.
The renovations will dramatically change the look of the library. It is expected that a new staircase, study rooms, increased seating, outlets for laptops, and air conditioning will be added. On the first floor of the library, situated on the school’s third floor, the staircase will be remodeled completely. The walls around the stairway will be torn down, and the stairs will be surrounded by glass walls. The open study area will remain, but the chairs will be replaced with soft seats and couches and it will no longer be a quiet area. Also, the room which currently includes the computer lab and records, will be turned into the new learning center, and will also house the STEM (the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics center) as well as the the robotics club.
The second floor of the library, which is the school’s fourth floor, will hold the majority of the books, and the computer room which was previously one floor below. This floor will remain a quiet study space, and a collection of Vanier archives is also expected to be included. Luckily for students, the E4 classrooms in this area will now become more accessible due to the remodeling of the the staircase. This will allow students to have access to the classrooms without having to first go through the front doors of the library. Currently there are two E4 classrooms, but after the improvements, the number will increase to three.
On the third floor of the library, Vanier’s fifth floor, six new study rooms will be created for groups of students. The aim is to provide a space for group work, and to facilitate group study sessions without disturbing other students. Also, there will be a small media lab on this floor and the old carpet will be replaced with a new one. The vinyl collection that was previously on the first floor of the library will be moved up, and accompanying it will be several turntables with headphones for students who wish to listen to the records. The wall that is currently separating the STEM center from the library will also be torn down.
Unfortunately, throughout the fall semester of 2016 the library will be under construction, “we’re asking for everyone to give us their support and to understand (…) it’s one semester of sacrifice for a brand new place”, said Lafaille, Academic Dean. In the meantime, librarians are looking for places around the campus to create a temporary library where students can take out books as well as places intended for quiet study.
Written By: Miriam Lafontaine
Originally Published: February 2016
