Daily Illini, 5 October 1968 Issue PDF (11.17 MB)

Undergrads To Go Underground

Modern $ 4 . 2 Million Library To Open Second Semester

By BRUCE HOLECEK Daily mini Staff Writer The snows of winter covering the famed Morrow Plots also will herald

the opening of the neighboring underground undergraduate . library . ¦* - *• ¦ Information available from McCarthy

Brothers Construction Q 6 f . of St . Loufei general contractor , and Robert Downs , dean . of library administration ,

indicates the $ 4 . 2 million library will . be ready for student use ! by the beginning of second semester . The library ,

approximately one third the . size of the general lfc brary , will < consist of a ground level plaza and two underground

floors .

The building will be completely air conditioned , fully carpeted , indirectly illuminated , and have a seating capacity of 1 ,

900 . Jan Seifert , undergradaute librarian , said the library design will provide the finest of conditions for students . On

the ground level plaza are two pavilions which will serve as entrances and exits to the underground floors . The motif of

the plaza area will be that of a park . Twenty-four stone tubs , each surrounding a tree , also will serve as benches . The

grounds surrounding the library will be landscaped with trees , bushes and flowers to fur

ther develop the park setting . To descend to the underground floors stairs . are located in either the east or west pavilion .

There are two elevators , one in each pavilion , but only the one in the west pavilion is for students , faculty and other

users of the library . The other elevator is for supply and maintenance operation .

On the first floor there are three special rooms in addition to the regular library facilities . These include a reading room

for the blind , a group listening room and a microfilm room , all equipped with complete and up-to-date facilities ,

according to Jim Hansen , architectural consultant for Clark Altay Co ., assistant architects and engineers for the structure

. TTrom the west side of the first floor an underground tunnel leads into the general library making it possible to go from

one library to the other without going outside .

The second floor , 36 feet below ground , has an elaborate drainage and sump pump system designed I to prevent any

moisture damage to the 150 , 000 volumes that can be shelved throughout the building . The usable library space on the

lower floor is slightly larger than that of the first floor , due to the absence of any special rooms . A square shaft , open to

the sky , runs through the center of both floors . At the bottom of the shaft on the second floor level will be a courtyard

area open to student use , again emphasizing the park motif . The inside walls facing the shaft will be all glass adding to

the impression of openness . The courtyard area , Hansen

stressed , will be especially beautiful at night due to the open skies above and the lighting effects from the two

underground floors . The center : courtyard has inscriptions on each wall , with quotations of Henry John James ,

president of the University from 1904 to 1920 , to whom the courtyard is dedicated . The inscription on the west wall

reads Books are alive to the man who knows how to use these sources of inspiration and power . The courtyard was

financed by the class of 1916 . Seifert said the reason for building the library underground is it is situated directly west of

the Morrow Plots , and the Univeersity feared a conventional aboveground structure might obscure af

ternoon sunshine and Adversely affect the crops on this weM known plot . The space occupieed by the old undergraduate

library will become the site of the commerce library . A special languages lab will be set up in the old commerce . library

located on the second floor of the general library . ,:: According to Downs , there is only one other underground college

library , Hendricks College in Arkansas . Downs said , however , the University had its plans drawn up before Hendricks .

Hansen said that construction of the Universitys library was prolonged due . to strikes during the summer , aiid last spring

Daily Illini, 21 November 1968 — Downs-25 Years with UI Library [ARTICLE]

Daily Illini, 15 March 1969 — Underground Library Opens Soon [ARTICLE]

(Photo accompanying article below):

(Photo below from the Daily Illini—June 16, 1969, page 28—Photographer: Robert K. Daniell

Daily Illini, 16 June 1969 Issue PDF (15.41 MB)

Underground library Opens At Ul Today (Photo above goes with this article—citation above photo)

The University s unique , awardwinning Undergraduate Library will open today The unusual building — consisting of

two stories , both underground , in the form of a hollow square surrounding a central courtyard — in 1966 won first in

design for college libraries in a national honor competition . The roof of the Undergraduate Library is an attractive ,

lighted plaza providing valuable bench seating for students who wish to read outside in fair weather . The landscaped ,

submerged courtyard is designed to serve the same purpose . The courtyard is dedicated to Edmund Janes James , past

president of the University . A stone frieze around the top edge of the courtyard , presented as a gift by the class of 1916 ,

signifies this . The new $ 4 . 2 million library has 79 , 000 volumes as compared to the 30 , 000 previously in the old

undergraduate library , which had been housed in the main library building .

Total book capacity of the new facility — not expected to be reached for several years — is 150 , 000 volumes . Space

for readers is divided by shelving arrangements and space breakers so that not more than 50 ( Continued on Page 8 )

Daily Illini, 16 June 1969 Issue PDF (15.41 MB)

Underground ....

( Continued from Page 1 )

readers are seated in any one area . Two thirds of the seats are in the form of individual reading carrels instead of the

usual large tables , and the remaining third will be at tables seating not more than four persons . The intention is to

minimize distractions and maximize privacy for students while insuring best use of available reading space . Acoustical

tile covers the ceilings and thick , gold-colored carpets cover the floors . Much of the furniture is in bright colors and

patterns . The upper of the two levels houses the card catalogue , the ref

erence and periodical collection , a browsing collection , part of the general book collection , staff offices and a listening

center . Copying Machines The latter consists of a control room and 106 listening stations that have tapes and records

needed to supplement course lectures or for recreational purposes . The lower level contains the major portion of the book

collection as well as the reserve collections and provides 14 typing stations . Four separate rooms on this level are for the

use of blind readers . Copying machines are available on both levels . Students will be

able to check out books at both the east and west entrances . Exits are controlled by electrically operated turnstiles . Music

Collection House phones are located on both levels for the convenience of students seeking help from a staff member if

one is not in the immediate area . The new building also temporarily houses the record collection of the Music Library .

There will be 24 turntables with earphones available to students in connection with music class assignments . The general

purpose of the Undergraduate Library is to support the undergraduate curriculum , particularly the College of LAS , with

a reading and studying center . For Freshmen , Sophomores It is expected students mainly will depend on the

Undergraduate ( Continued on Page 13 ) Library as freshmen and sophomores and then en the departmental libraries —

such as English , Education and Social Science and Commerce •— when they are juniors and seniors and have chosen

a major . The Undergraduate Library came into existence in 1949 when the University s Galesburg branch was

discontinued and its library collection moved to Urbana-Cham-paign and into the main library building . Over the year ,

the size of the undergraduate collection and its physical facilities became inadequate and planning on the new

Undergraduate Library began In 1960 . Architects for the structure are Richardson , Severns , Scheeler and Associates ,

Champaign ; and Clark Altay and Associates , Urbana . Landscaping was designed by the Ul Division of Campus

Development in consultation with the firm of Sasaki , Dawson , DeMay and Associates , Watertown , Conn . The honor

in design won by the building was in a national competion sponsored by the American Institute of Architects , the U . S .

Department of Health , Education and Welfare and Educational Facilities Laboratories , Inc .

Daily Illini, 1 August 1969 — University Library Ranks as One of Largest in Nation [ARTICLE] (Photo accompanying article appears immediately below): Page F1

(Photo from F3 below):

(Photo from same issue: Page F4)

Daily Illini, 14 November 1969 — Library dedication slated [ARTICLE] Back

(Photos from page 21—same issue):

Daily Illini, 15 November 1969 Page 14

Daily Illini, 1 August 1970 — Underqrad Library has great 1 st year [ARTICLE]