By Brian Steele
Incoming students could be intimidated by the overwhelming sight of row after row of shelves filled with books. They may think of the library as just a place to go to do research for class and access reference materials, all while being supervised by a librarian.
But upon entering the Ekstrom library for the first time, students almost instantly realize there is much more going on than meets the eye.
Walking through the west entrance, one will first notice the bistro setting of the Tulip Tree Café and the aromas of Heine Brothers’ Coffee, a newly added local flair to the café.
Director of Ekstrom Library Diane Nichols said, “We removed and moved walls and painted with bright colors to make it feel open and welcoming.”
Once past the Tulip Tree, large glass windows on the right overlook the robotic retrieval system (RRS), the university’s source of pride and its state of the art book storage and retrieval system.
“We were the fifth university in the country to install this technology. And now, other regional universities are studying the University of Louisville’s example and the cost effectiveness versus outsourcing storage,” said Hannelore Rader, Dean of the University Libraries.
When entering through the east entrance, the video and DVD collection as well as the REACH computer laboratory can be seen on the right side. It is here that students can get help with setting up computer access in their dorms and wireless internet on their laptops.
Both Rader and Nichols agree that the RRS is the most active and has some of the most important work going on in the library. This technology affords everyone access to special collections and archives.
There are quiet rooms in the library, but the main areas are open and inviting. Students gather to meet with study groups, prepare for exams and socialize.
The second floor is one of the most obvious examples of the library’s liveliness and diversity. It houses the library’s office suite, the Delphi Center, the Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research, the Muhammed Ali Institute for Peace and Justice, the microform and periodical sections, the McConnell Center and the African American collection.
An initiative spearheaded by the 2008-2009 SGA academic vice president Ahmed Awadallah, was to have the library open around the clock.
“We agreed to keep [the library] open 24 hours for one year and intend to honor that,” Nichols said. “We’re tracking attendance and usage data and will decide whether the program is cost effective. And a decision will be made based on that data.” The library hours will continue into the fall.
Many students prefer the late night hours because there are fewer distractions, they have greater access to materials than at home and it keeps them from falling asleep.
Enjoy Ekstrom library, which is U of L’s one stop shop. It is a place to dine, study, socialize, research, rent movies and expand horizons.
