Phase II renovations of Cross Campus and Sterling Libraries

President Levin has announced the appointment of a committee to steer the
proposed renovations of Cross Campus Library and the Machine City area of
Sterling Memorial Library, with the connecting tunnel between the two.  
These plans form part of the major renovation including the central nave
of the Sterling Library and the Linonia and Brothers Room, that was
recommended by a committee chaired by Professor Linda Peterson, reporting
in December 1999.  President Levin foresees that we may be able to achieve
a full-scale renovation as originally recommended, but at present the cost
of implementing the full scheme exceeds what we can reasonably expect to
undertake at one time.

President Levin asked for a small committee this time, representing 
librarians, faculty and students as well as those from the university 
administration who are most closely involved in the planning and budgeting. 
Numbers have been limited to eleven, as follows:
                                 
Carolyn Claflin, director of Library Development

Pamela Delphenich, University Planning Facilities

Joanne Freeman, Professor of History, and member of the
Advisory Council on Library Policy
                                 
Joseph Gordon, Deputy Dean of Yale College, and English Department faculty

Gretchen Heefner, Graduate Student in History

Danuta Nitecki, Associate University Librarian

Ann Okerson, Associate University Librarian

Linda Peterson, Professor of English, chair of the former committee

Alice Prochaska, University Librarian, chair

Michael Purcaro, Undergraduate, member of the Advisory Council on Library
Policy
                                 
William Sledge, Master of Calhoun College, chair, Council of Masters, and
Professor of Psychiatry

The Project Director for the Library will be Danuta Nitecki, and Project
Manager for Facilities will be Laura Cruikshank, who will also attend
meetings of the committee.  Danuta and I will be appointing a Library Project Manager as well.

In addition to the committee appointed by President Levin, committees and
working groups composed mainly of Library staff will plan in detail how
the renovation should be implemented, how the Cross Campus Library and
adjacent areas should be used, and the shape of the collection it will
house.  I expect the planning work to continue, in various ways, through
the next eighteen months, with construction probably starting in the
summer of 2004.  I look forward to working with Library staff from across
a wide range of services and levels, and the committees and working groups
will be asking for input from staff, students and other users of Cross
Campus Library, beginning now.  If you would like more information about
the shape and scope of the project, and/or if you would like to contribute
your thoughts on the ways in which the CCL and Machine City spaces can be
improved, with better access to and from Sterling, please let me or Danuta know
at any time.  In due course, when the architects have produced updated
concept drawings, we will be asking for more structured contributions to the Library's
plans.

Alice