Project Overview and Key Milestones

What are the plans?
The plan is to renovate the underground Cross Campus Library (CCL) in its entirety (both its upper and lower levels) and the tunnel connecting it with the Sterling Memorial Library (SML). The plan also includes addressing alternate ways to move between the SML nave and the SML basement (by the installation of an elevator and better positioning of a stairwell) and a renovation of the public areas in the SML basement (specifically the area known as "Machine City" and its adjacent restrooms).

Why are these renovations needed?
Structural deterioration of the physical building is the primary reason. The renovation offers an opportunity to incorporate major mechanical, electrical, environmental, and telecommunications upgrades to meet current building codes, technological advancements, and standards for library collection maintenance. In addition, many of the Library’s reading and service areas need to be upgraded to fulfill Yale University students’ expectations for places conducive to learning.

What happened prior to the start of construction?
After years of planning, the Phase 2a Renovation Project officially began in October 2004 when the architectural firm of Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, Inc. (HBRA) joined the renovation planning team. HBRA architects, led by Thomas Beeby (former dean of Yale’s School of Architecture), developed a preliminary design based on the concepts and proposals prepared during the renovation project's earlier design phases. In November 2004, the Phase 2a Steering Committee, the Phase 2a Building Committee, and the Library's Interim Operations Committee, and other members of the CCL Project Team, began to address the many planning issues during the pre-construction phase of the renovation project. Planning also began in Spring 2005 to prepare the CCL collection for temporary housing during construction, for the relocation of CCL, Document Delivery, and ITS computing cluster services during construction, and for the post-renovation reopening of CCL. Public forums were held in 2005 and 2006 to review with faculty, staff, and students the plans and preparatory activities for the renovation, and informational sessions have also been held for library staff about the project. Feedback from students was also sought through public meetings, a survey, and discussions with the Graduate Student Assembly and the Yale College Council. Construction documents (which finalize the design and building specifications) were completed by HBRA by the end of November 2005, and final approval for the project was granted in early 2006 by the Yale Corporation.

For previous news, information, committee reports, and updates, please visit the Phase 2a Archive Page.

Please see the Latest Update and This Old Library: Phase 2a for the most up-to-date information.


When did construction begin?
Construction began just after the end of the Spring semester in 2006. Construction in the Machine City area of the SML basement also began in Summer 2006.

Where did the books go?
To better reflect the nature of the CCL as an 'intensive-use' library, and to better serve our readers, a team of librarians and library staff created and implemented a plan to reduce the size of the pre-renovation collection to 150,000 volumes by the time CCL reopens in fall 2007. The volumes targeted to be removed from CCL were mostly duplicate volumes and older editions that had not circulated nor been assigned as a course reserve in a number of years. These volumes were transferred either to Yale's Library Shelving Facility (from where they may be paged via the ELI Express service), or to the Sterling Memorial Library stack collections. Plans created by other Library and Project Team members include: physically moving the CCL collection to the three lower floors of the SML stack tower, and creating the space needed for the CCL collection - by shifting approximately 2 million books housed in the upper floors of Sterling Memorial Library's stack tower.

Where did the staff and services go?
Library staff slated for temporary relocation include: the Document Delivery, Interlibrary Loan, and Borrow Direct Departments; the CCL circulation and reserves staffs, and a newly-formed team from the SML Access Services department (who will process materials for transfer to the Library Shelving Facility). The Library's Electronic Classroom was relocated in SML 609 (one of the Philosophy Reading Rooms). In addition, Computer Assistants in CCL's ITS computer cluster, the Technology Troubleshooting Office, and the Self-Service Media Room, were relocated in the SML Nave (in the space now occupied by the card catalogs). These services & staff will return to the renovated CCL when it re-opens.

What happened in Sterling Memorial Library?
The renovation project includes the renovation of the basement area formerly known as "Machine City" (see below for a description of the plans) and the installation of a new stairwell and elevator in the SML Nave that will provide easier (and better wheelchair-accessible) movement between the SML Nave and basement. The new stairwell and elevator will be located in what formerly was the SML cloakroom (on the left side of the Nave as you enter from High Street, alongside the corridor leading to the Franke Periodicals Reading Room). Work to remove the stairwell in the center of the Nave was completed in Summer 2006. A containment box was built over the stairwell to mitigate dust and noise. After the stairwell was demolished and the containment box removed, temporary flooring was installed, and 14 stand-up Orbis workstations were placed on tables for reader use. Installation of the new stairwell and elevator will be completed by the start of fall semester 2007. Also, the Linonia & Brothers Reading Room (L&B) was temporarily closed to readers during the summer of 2006 to house Document Delivery and CCL Circulation/Reserves staffs. The L&B re-opened during the fall 2006 semester after library staff were relocated to other temporary spaces in the library.

What will happen to the Card Catalogs in the Nave?
The built-in cabinets will remain in the Nave, but the freestanding cabinets that surrounded the pillars have been removed and sold to interested parties via two special sales handled by Yale University Department of Traffic, Receiving, and Stores. Click here to see pictures of their removal from the SML Nave. The Name-Title catalog cards in both the freestanding and the built-in cabinets have been relocated to a room in the SML basement (Room B69-A), which is accessible to holders of current Yale University ID cards. The Subject card catalog cards have already been relocated to the LSF (and specific files may be requested through the ELI Express service). At this time, there are no plans for any future cabinet sales.

What happened to Machine City?
The social and informal character of Machine City motivated some of the design work to create a new group and individual study area in the renovated Cross Campus Library. The vending machines, booths, tables and chairs, as well as the stairwell connecting the space to the nave, were removed last summer. Until the end of the 2007 Spring Semester, the SML basement area temporarily serves as the home to 320 lockers which are available for use to most students and faculty (please contact the Access Services Administrative Assistant for availability).

Key Milestones

2004

October: Start of the Preliminary Design Phase with Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, Inc.