After two years of hard work and detailed planning, Shoreline Community College opened the doors to its newly remodeled library Thursday, with an artistic donation as its centerpiece.
“This library is really the heart and soul of the campus…we’re all tremendously excited,” SCC spokesperson Judy Yu said.
According to John Backes, the dean of library media services at the college, the main structural difference in the building is that several interior walls have been removed, making the library feel more open and easily accessible.
As a tribute to the opening of the new building, the SCC Art Club has donated eight paintings that are hung around the skylight ont he main floor. The artwork features themes of animals, dolls and nature scenes appropriate for children, and are painted in bold, vibrant colors.
“When I took a group of students through yesterday they all really liked it and wanted to know if they were going to stay there…It looks pretty cool up in the skylight,” John Backes said.
However, the art work will only be on display until the end of October, after which it will be shipped to the New York school district.
“They’re going to schools that are set up to receive the paintings…all the schools are around ground zero,” art club advisor and gallery director Natalie Niblack said.
The new library was remodeled based on several student needs, including research materials, study areas and modern technology. The main level of the library features more than 70,000 books, periodicals, reference materials, videos and DVD’s, and a research lab.
It is also equipped with computer terminals, copy machines, media units and group study areas.
On the lower level, a 100-plus seat computer lab is equipped with new computers, specialized software programs and scanners, and will be open to students seven days a week.
“That’s where the money went in this structure…every wire is a new wire, every cable is a new cable…a good piece of the building cost was making the infrastructure work for the 21st century,” John Backes said.
An interactive TV service will also allow SCC to be directly connected to other colleges and facilities around the world. With this setup, an instructor can teach a course for many different colleges at one time. Full Internet connections, teleconferences, satellite downlinks and other media outlets will also be available.
The third floor of the library is made up of quiet study areas, and will be decorated with student art each quarter.
John Backes said the reaction to the remodel project from both students and teachers has been really positive.
“Everyone who’s gone through the building has been really happy, and the teachers who knew the building before are thrilled to death,” Backes said.
Judy Yu agreed.
“It has been really difficult, especially for the students without a library,” Yu said. “We really appreciate their patience.”
The original Shoreline Community College library was built in 1965, and was the first permanent structure on the college’s campus. The building was dedicated to founding president Ray W. Howard in the 1980’s.
Thirty years after building the original library, the need for a better equipped facility was apparent. Student use had almost doubled by then and the ever-growing world of technology made it mandatory to update college’s system.
With $7.25 million dollars from the Washington State Legislature and community support, the project started for the new library in the fall of 2000.
The last few changes, including the engraving of donor’s names on the front bricks of the library, were finished earlier this week.
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