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Re: Renovations and Patron Use



Most libraries report a surge in use after remodeling, then it falls back
a bit after a year or two.

  ---Terry

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Terry Abraham   Special Collections, University of Idaho
<http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/>


On Thu, 22 Jun 2000, Beth Kilmarx wrote:

>
> In the spring of 1999, a multi-year renovation of my library was
> started.  Major construction and asbestos abatements have been on going
> since that time.  Back issues of journals, and books that hadn't
> circulated in X number of years were (and still are being) moved to an
> off campus site 11 miles away.  All the materials in the Special
> Collections department (mine, of course) were also put off site.  Two
> trips a day are made to retrieve materials requested by patrons and the
> ILL office as we promise a 24 hr turn around time.  Also, books are
> being moved from floor to floor to truly confuse everyone.
>
> Now, it appears that patron use of the library has dropped significantly
> from last spring, and people are wondering why.  Has anyone else
> encountered such a situation in their institution during major
> renovations, and did the patrons return when all was done?  Or, can we
> contribute the significant drop in statistics to something else?  (My
> department has not experienced a reduction in patrons, but what is
> bothersome is to we retrieve the materials and then the patrons never
> show up to use them.)
>
>
> Beth Turcy Kilmarx
> Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts
>

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