Although many professors and students complained when the Math-Physics Library merged with the Vesic Engineering Library, much of the inconvenience associated with the move has subsided and people are looking forward to the benefits of the centralized information.
"The transition was bad news," said Professor of Physics Henry Weller, director of graduate studies in the physics department. "As of now, things are starting to get back under control."
When library workers began packing up the approximately 100,000 volumes from the Math-Physics Library this summer, Weller and other researchers in the math and physics departments had limited access to materials. Even now, the limited space in Vesic is causing some inconvenience.
"The problem is that many of the materials are not on site," said Weller, adding that he had to wait 24 hours for a journal article while working on a $4 million grant application. "It's clear we need a larger facility so that we have the critical journals on site."
Although as much as 40 percent of the library's collection will be kept in off-site storage facilities, library officials stressed that these volumes are still accessible and that some of the current delays will end once the consolidation is complete.
"What concerns me is that people think things aren't available...," said Linda Martinez, head librarian at Vesic and coordinator of the project. "If we don't have it immediately, it doesn't mean we can't get it."
And eventually, the execution of the library's master plan-including the construction of an off-site storage facility scheduled for completion in March 2001-should free up more space.
Martinez gave two weeks as a tentative goal for the consolidation's completion. Until then, she urges students and faculty to ask for help when they can't find something.
"I'm surprised we've come so far so soon," she said, adding that the library has been paying four employees overtime to speed up the project. "This isn't like packing up your kitchen, or even packing up your books from home."
Pratt junior Mike Holub and several other students seemed relatively unaffected and actually pleased with the move. "It's not a problem at all," Holub said. "It seems more convenient to have all the resources in the same place."
Professors in both departments agreed.
"It was really an arbitrary decision whether something was in Math-Physics or [Vesic]. I look forward to having everything in one place," said John Board, Bass associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate chair of the department.
The original reason for the consolidation-the creation of more space in the Physics Building-has been satisfied by the move. The additional 4,000 square feet are now used for faculty and researchers who might not otherwise have had offices.
"We were able to do renovations and now we have enough space for everyone-professors, post-docs and graduate students," said Professor of Mathematics Gregory Lawler, associate chair of the department. Lawler and others stressed, however, that the departments are still strained for space in the building.
"We've really had to clear out the closets to fit them in," Weller said.
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