By Brittany Duggins

Ekstrom library’s $14.2 million expansion, which opened in spring 2006, has added much needed space as well as new technologies to better serve the community at the University of Louisville. Scott Brown, sophomore marketing major, utilizes the library about 2-3 times per week and likes the new addition of the computers by the stairs. Shereen Bartja, senior psychology major, praises the new doors due to the fact that they open so much better than the old. Whether you are entering or researching within it, U of L’s new and improved library has been upgraded and is easy on the eyes.

The original Ekstrom building was constructed in 1981 with 247,500 gross square feet and shelving capacity of 1,200,000 volumes. The new renovation has an addition of 42,500 gross square feet and doubled shelving capacity.

One of the most innovative updates, is the Robotic Retrieval System (RRS), which can hold up to 1.2 million volumes. The RRS consists of 7,444 steel bins arranged in both columns and rows. They are used to store the less frequently requested volumes housed in Ekstrom.

Students and faculty can easily access the volumes in the RRS through Minerva. If the requested book or journal is housed in the RRS, after the request is made, a robot will be sent into the stacks, will select and retrieve the appropriate bin, then deliver it to the pick-up station at the desk.

All of this takes only minutes to complete. Now the library will be able to add to the collections already obtained in order to further resources available to the U of L community. The seemingly limitless resources offered by the library are one of most beneficial tools to further our knowledge.

Along with the RRS, there is a new auditorium able to seat up to 150 people. It also contains modern instructional technology. In conjunction with a new auditorium, there are three instructional labs in which classes can be held.

At the Third Street entrance, a new eatery has been installed for students and faculty to enjoy throughout the day.

The Tulip Tree Café has both inside and outside seating and computers. They serve Starbucks coffee, a selection of sandwiches, soups, and desserts. The café is a comfortable area for students to work on homework, access the internet, get something to eat or drink or just mingle with fellow students at the university.

Additionally, the renovation brought along a new lobby and information center. There is now an area in which students can utilize a television for viewing a video housed in the library.

Offices and a meeting space for the McConnell Center for Political Leadership have also been created. This addition will allow many influential people the chance to see the campus and what U of L has to offer.

For the benefit of its students, U of L created a 24-hour study area inside Ekstrom. After regular library hours, this study facility can be accessed by students by using their Cardinal Card. This will allow students a quiet study area, available at a time which is convenient to them.

“The new library seems to be working out very well,” said Diane Nichols, Associate Dean of the library. “It seems inviting and there is never an empty seat.”

Nichols also said students fill the café, especially since they have added a large screen TV so students do not miss the games. Biology major, Ashley Bennett, does not visit the library that often but acknowledges that the updates seem to appease and satisfy the needs of students.

Another change, affecting the students enrolled in Speed School, was the closing of Kersey Library. This particular library was permanently closed in July 2006. Its collections have been merged to those at Ekstrom.

The University of Louisville libraries currently house more that 2 million volumes, approximately 16,000 journal subscriptions, and access to over 20,000 full text electronic journals, media and microforms.

U of L president, James Ramsey, said, “Every great university needs a great library. As U of L continues to march toward becoming one of America’s great research universities, we must develop our libraries to help support that mission.”