This Old Library (22 December 1997)

[Scott Bennett <scott.bennett@YALE.EDU>]

SML BOOK STACKS RENOVATION

Demolition in the Microform/Newspaper Reading Room and in the Periodical
Reading Room continues this week.  Unfortunately, but unavoidably, this
work generates a good deal of noise.  Demolition at the York Street
entrance to the library has been completed, although some asbestos
abatement work remains to be scheduled.  A temporary plywood floor to the
entrance area will be installed today to enhance safety.  Work on this
entrance should be completed by the turn of the year.

A good deal of stone cleaning will be done this week and next.  Work on the
southeast entrance to the Selin courtyard will take place today and
tomorrow.  Stone work at the entrance to the Periodical Reading Room will
be cleaned Wednesday and next Monday.  The floor of the Exhibit Corridor
will be cleaned (half the width of the corridor at a time) next week.  The
edging stones around the east end of the Starr Main Reading Room floor will
also be cleaned, starting tomorrow and ending next Monday.

The slates on the Periodical Reading Room roof have been removed, so that
repairs can be made to the structure under them and a new roofing membrane
installed.  Scaffolding in the Master's Garden of Trumbull College will be
removed, starting today.

A new water line for the fountain in the Selin Courtyard has been installed
and will soon be connected to the water supply pipe.  Excavations for a new
foundation for the fountain will begin next week (weather permitting).

Painters will be working in the stairway adjacent to the large, new
elevator in the bookstacks thoughtout the week.  To facilitate their work,
and to protect peoples' clothes from paint, the entire stairway will be
closed--except for any emergencies.

Electricians will complete the installation of new lighting on 7M this week
and then move to the annex space just off the Starr Main Reading Room,
where they will install conduit for the new lighting needed there.  The
actual light fixtures have not yet been delivered.  Electricians will also
begin replacing all of the defective light switches throughout the book
stacks.

The sprinkler fitter will complete testing the new system in the book
stacks and move next to the stairways.

It is possible that the replacement of the doors and door frames off the
front stairway serving the book stack tower (i.e., the stairs in the
northeast corner of the tower) will begin sometime over the holiday break.

NEW MUSIC LIBRARY

A great deal of work around the now enclosed courtyard will be done over
the holiday break.

*  New steel beams in the ceiling of the third floor (east) corridor will
be grouted in and receive fireproofing treatment.
*  The last holes for new duct work will be cut in the restrooms on the 2nd
and 3rd floors (southeast corner).  These restrooms will then be returned
to service, even though more work remains to be done.  The restrooms will
be subject to periodic shutdowns until their renovation is completed.
*  Window air conditioning units will be removed from offices overlooking
the now enclosed courtyard, and the operating frames of the windows will be
reconditioned.  Occupants of these offices who have material on the window
ledges or in front of the windows are asked, if at all possible, to clear
space for the workers before leaving for the holidays.
*  Old duct work throughout the 2nd and 3rd floor corridors will be
removed.  This work will begin tomorrow and be completed early in January.

The installation of new duct work in the vertical chase next to the
stairway in the northwest corner of the building will be completed on 1 and
1M this week. It will then be possible (finally!) to begin closing the wall
back in.

Demolition of the floor inside the construction zone, but immediately
adjacent to Acquisitions (and indeed extending a little into Acquisitions)
will be completed this week.  Then an ironworker will install shear studs
in the floor to ensure there will be no lateral movement in the poured
concrete flooring for this area, which will accommodate compact shelving.

The new beams installed in the corridor outside the Lecture Hall will be
treated this week with fireproofing material.