University Libraries Renovations

The replacement of cars and controls in the passenger elevators in Gorgas Library is substantially complete and the elevators are now available for our use.  Effective immediately, you may use the passenger elevators and the new elevator.  All elevators are currently programmed to operate with card access, only.  All people who currently have access into the building will have elevator access to all floors of the building, except 7th floor and the penthouse.  Seventh floor is restricted to SLIS faculty, staff, students, custodial services staff, and facilities.  On August 19, the elevators will be reprogrammed to allow access to public floors  for everyone who has access to the building.  Access to 5th and 7th floors, and the penthouse,will remain restricted.

The substantial completion of the elevator project concludes all of the renovation and construction projects that have been ongoing since spring 2019.  There are a few punch list items that need to be addressed, but all areas are ready and available for our use.  The renovations included complete demolition of old restrooms and construction of ADA compliant, expanded restrooms on seven floors, construction of a nursing mothers room on first floor, and unisex  restrooms on two other floors.  New water fountains were installed on all floors.  You may recall that we enlisted input from students, faculty, and staff to select the finishes for the restrooms in Gorgas Library.  It turned out great!

There are now 3 efficient, modern elevators to serve Gorgas Library.  The old staff elevator was replaced  to provide access to all floors in the library with an ADA compliant car (and we heard every jackhammer and drill required to make that happen).  Cars and controls for the two elevators in the main lobby have been replaced.  All of the elevators are equipped with card readers and cameras, modern emergency and fire protection equipment, and updated communications capabilities.  During the process of replacing elevators, the lobby areas were also improved on most floors to include new flooring, lighting and a fresh coat of paint.  The Circulation area on second floor was updated with new lighting, carpet, and a new service desk. In the area that was previously 4th floor, now 5th floor, the large conference room was gutted and totally renovated to include new carpet, new lighting and new equipment.  The entrance was also changed to include new wooden doors and frosting on the glass wall.  New carpet and ceiling tiles were installed  in the Web Technologies office spaces and the smaller conference room.  These spaces also received a new coat of paint. 

Gorgas 205 was expanded and re-imagined to create a larger meeting space with the capability of dividing the space into two separate zones, both equipped with high-tech video walls , improved sound system, and capabilities for video and audio recording.  These improvements will enhance future presentations and events in those spaces.  New furniture was purchased for the renovated spaces.  Our meeting rooms are now known as the ​The Camellia Room and The Yellowhammer Room.  These two names received the most votes in a survey seeking input for names for our two new meeting spaces.  And coming soon…. wall graphics featuring pictures of Denny Chimes, the Rotunda, Gorgas Library, and students, will be installed on all floors to enhance the renovated spaces!  Room signage and directories are also being finalized. 

JavaCity was renovated last summer and it has a nice, fresh look which results from new flooring, lighting, paint, counter tops and service point.  

The University Libraries Archive Facilities was substantially completed earlier this summer.  It is an amazing building!  The clean agent fire suppression system in the building is the largest in the state, and one of the largest in the southeast.  The compact movable shelving system ranges in height from 24 feet tall to 15 feet tall to take advantage of varying ceiling heights created by the slanted roof.  The building  has insulated metal wall panels, hardened to withstand wind speeds up to 160 mph.  The building also has a gas generator to accommodate a fire pump, fire alarm, and emergency lighting.  

Thanks to all of you for your patience, cooperation, and team spirit throughout these projects, which have been difficult at times.  We hope that you will all enjoy the newly renovated/constructed spaces, and we hope that the realization of plans for projects to improve all of our library buildings will be possible. 

The votes were counted and the winners are… Camellia and Yellowhammer!

Camellia is in the space formerly called “Gorgas 205”. Yellowhammer now occupies the space previously used as a reference area and study location.

To reserve a meeting space, please contact Emily Burnett, emburnett@ua.edu, 205-348-5543

Room Reservation and Appropriate Use Guidelines for the
Yellowhammer Room and Camellia Room Meeting Spaces

The restrooms on 2^nd floor and 2M are now open and available for use.  The restroom on first floor is also available.  There is hot water in these restrooms, but for now, it takes a while for the hot water to reach them.  That problem will be resolved once all of the restrooms have been renovated. 

The restrooms on floors 3, 4, 4M, and 5, are currently under construction or are awaiting demolition and are not available for use. 

Work to build the construction barrier for the restroom project on 4^th floor will begin on Friday, December 13.  On December 20, after 5:00 p.m., work will begin on 4th floor to remove the carpet in the elevator lobby, the area south of the elevator lobby, and conference rooms 401 and 402. The library will be officially closed after 5:00 p.m. on December 20.   New carpet will be installed on fourth floor in the area south of the elevator lobby where the cubicles are currently installed, in Steven Turner’s office suite, in 402 and 401.  New ceiling tiles will be installed in the space south of the elevator lobby.  At the completion of the restroom work, new floor tiles and a new ceiling will be installed in the elevator lobby.  The conference room, 402, will get a facelift, which will include carpet, new ceiling and enhanced entry, along with some technology upgrades. 

Pending inspection and final approval, the restrooms on Floors 2 and 2M are scheduled to be completed and available for use by the beginning of the spring semester.   The elevator lobby on Floor 2, as well as the large space near the Circulation Desk is also scheduled to be completed by the beginning of spring semester.

Currently, the staff elevator project is scheduled to be completed by the end of March, 2020.

The renovation project will move into 4^th floor in December. In preparation for the work that will be done on that floor, the conference rooms, 401 and 402, will not be available after November 30 until the project is completed on that floor.  New flooring, ceiling, and lighting will be installed in the 4^th floor lobby area.  New carpet will extend into the offices at the south end of the floor and into the conference room, 402.  New carpet, ceiling, and lighting will be installed in conference room 401.  There will also be some upgrades to the technology in that space.

The restroom project is moving along at a slightly faster pace now.  The restrooms on second floor and the restrooms on 2M are expected to be completed and open by the beginning of second semester.  Work is currently underway in the restrooms on 3^rd floor.  On December 13, the construction barrier will be built for the renovation of the restrooms on 4^th floor.  In early January, renovation of the restrooms on 4M and 5^th floor will begin.  There will be a lot of work going on in the library during the winter break.  Gorgas Library will be officially closed beginning at 5:00 p.m. on December 20, until we return to work on January 2. 

The staff elevator is scheduled to be completed in March, and currently the restrooms are on track to be completed by May.  The passenger elevators project will likely extend into the summer of 2020.  

Read more about how to cast your vote here:

Gorgas Library Renovations Progress; Contest Open to Name Rooms

The third floor restroom will be closed October 22 and turned over to the contractor. All restroom trailers on Capstone Drive, in addition to restrooms on first, fourth, 4M, and fifth will be available for use. The restroom trailers will be open all hours that the library is open

There will be a brief water outage on Thursday morning, October 17.  The outage will begin at 6:00 a.m. and will end at approximately 8:00 a.m.  This outage is related to work that is currently underway in the second floor restroom. 

The restroom trailer will be unlocked and available for use during the water outage. 

Join University Libraries on Friday, October 18 for cupcakes and milk in the Pearce Foyer on second floor.