From left to right: Alpha Pi Gamma President-elect Matthew Lewis; Librarian and PTK Advisor Neil Siegel; and TLC Peer Tutor Tami Beliakoff. Inset: phone charging station. (Click to enlarge.)
The carpet and furnishings have recently become renewed and bright, close to luminous, in the Elizabeth Sturm Library at Truckee Meadows Community College.
Since January, the Library has undergone a remodel, freshening the look and functionality of the facility, now 22 years old. The large and mostly naturally-lit structure has been transformed into a learning commons. It has become a dual resource center, with library research and tutoring services under the same roof.
“The new carpet colors have brightened the Library immensely,” said John Fitzsimmons, Reference Librarian. “I invite people to come in and take a look. If you haven’t been in yet, come and check it out.”
Renovations began between Fall and Spring Semester with new carpeting throughout the first floor of the Library. Automatic power shades have been installed, and can be lowered to reduce glare from the two-story windows. Demonstration furniture has been placed on both floors as a preview to the updated tables, chairs, and other equipment that is being delivered now and in the summer. A favorite part of the remodel for students is the installation of phone charging stations.
“Students immediately loved them and the tutors use them too,” he said. “In the past, we saw students huddled on the floor near outlets. This makes it a lot easier for them to charge mobile devices.”
There are currently two charging stations, towers with adapters for multiple brands of electronics:
- Apple Lightning
- Apple 30-Pin
- Micro USB
- USB Type-C
The new stations are located near the Library service desk and the tutoring desk. There are four ports on each side of the two towers.
“Our Library Director Ken Sullivan and I thought it would be a good idea to have the stations because most learning commons have them, or chargers built into furniture,” Fitzsimmons said. “Some libraries have charging devices you can check out.”
The towers feature TMCC colors and logo, also making them easier to spot.
New Furniture
The new serpentine “S” couch—a 15-foot-long seating area with cushions on both sides—was delivered on April 28. To be delivered this summer are a dozen tube-surrounded chairs that can dampen the sound of a quiet phone conversation inside, or cut noise from the outside to become a quiet study spot.
Many of the tables will have electrical outlets built in for plugging in laptops, and USB ports will be more widely available on the new furniture. Multi-colored couches and chairs will match the color palette of carpeting and walls.
“It’s exciting to see the transformations, and also the Library’s collaboration with our Tutoring and Learning Center (TLC) staff,” he said.
Facilities Operations and Capital Planning Manager Teresa Golden added that there will also be new computer tables for the Library’s computer lab, and the addition of about a dozen computers.
Fitzsimmons said that library staff would like to make more use of the landscaped area on the southwest side of the Library’s common area.
“We definitely want to try and open up the courtyard for tables and reading at some point,” he said.
The Elizabeth Sturm Library was built in 1995. For more information about the remodel or new charging stations, please contact the Library at 775-674-7602.