Plans are fluid at the moment, however the latest information about Level 5 of the James Hight Building is that some Library staff will be moving back into that area.
The majority of the Library Research and Information Services Managers will be relocated into this area alongside the Liaison Librarians. Not everyone will have a permanent desk, some desks may end up being shared, but at some point in time many of us will be together on this floor. I am personally looking forward to us all being in the same workspace. The Lending staff will remain in their current locations within in the Branch Libraries and Hubs, on Level 2 in the Central Library and Learning Hub and those staff located in the Macmillian Brown Library will remain housed within this library.
The actual area where we are going to be located is still to be decided, as Library Support Services will also be located on this level. There are a number of discussion taking place at the moment with other staff from a variety of areas external to both the Library and to Learning Resources who are also looking to share this space. I have been given an indicative timeline of 4-6 weeks for the completion of this area in readiness for occupation.
As soon as I have some firm information I will be in touch.
This morning the doors were open for access to Levels 2 & 3. At first it was only a trickle of people coming through the doors, however after the 9.00 a.m. lectures finished they started coming in droves. This is a fantastic turnout and worth all the ups and downs over the last few weeks. A huge thanks to Joan and her team for their extremely hard work to get us to this point in time. Thanks also to all library staff who have helped in so many different ways, your help has really been appreciated. We can not forget the debt of gratitude that we owe to the other Learning Resource staff members, the Hawkins and Beca crews, and the many other sub-contractors who have been working and will continue to work to remediate the James Higth building.
On Saturday afternoon the Vice Chancellor popped into see how progress was going. He was very pleased with the work that had been done to date. He asked me to pass on his thanks to all the Library staff. He commented on the size of the job left to be done and hopes that we will get this done in good time. I was taking empty boxes up to Level 4 at the time of his visit and he helped me out by carrying a load.The Vice Chancellor is very aware that there is still a mountain of work to be done.
Sue McKnight was in the Library this moring at opening time and also passed on her thanks to the Library staff. Sue was later joined by the Vice Chancellor and they were both heartened to see the students repopulating the study spaces.
I am sure that there are going to be many cliches over the next few days that Joan and her team will need to deal with, however it is a joy to have the space open.
Also thank you from me to those staff who have offered to cover Joan and her team members who will be attending Pat’s funeral tomorrow.
The question has been asked “What am I supposed to do in an earthquake, do I have to clear the building?”
If there is another significant earthquake, you will need to take cover and keep yourself safe. When the shaking stops at that point get ready to exit the building. You are not expected to take yourself to higher floors and check if they are clear. If there are others on the floor that you are on, you may well wish to call out to them or join them and ascertain if they are okay. If there was someone seriously injured you would offer whatever help was appropriate however if you could not assist them from the building you would need to report this incident to one of the UC Emergency Response Teams when you have exited the building and/or reported to the nearest assembly point. It is the role of these trained Emergency Response Teams to enter buildings and check that they are clear.
Another session on the James Hight Building will be held on Friday from 10.00 a.m until 11.00 am at the Oval Village: KG 01(Kirkwood Oval)
I hope you will be able to attend the session as it is an opportunity if you have questions about this building.
The first James Hight building meeting will be held today at 11.15 a.m. on the Kirkwood OVal (Ilam) Campus were Peter Molony will discuss the effects of the earthquakes on the JH Building.
Other meetings will be arranged.
Hope you can make it.
The meeting on Thursday to discuss the James Hight Building has been postponed as Peter Molony has been called to another meeting. He and I are looking for a new date and time – could even be tomorrow – Tuesday, so please stay tuned. I will post the information as soon as I know where and when the meeting will be. Peter has also explained that a series of smaller meetings is a better forum for discussing buildings and we will look into being able to offer more times and days.
On Monday 9th May, Peter Lund arrives to take up his role as Academic Liaison Manager.
Peter, his wife and two daughters arrived from the UK on Tuesday.
I know that you will join me in welcoming Peter to the Univeristy and in particular to the Library. We will be walking about the campus and visiting both libraries on Monday.
At the last staff forum, Peter Molony, the Recovery Manager, offered to run meetings about individual buildings and discuss the information that the Estate and Assets team has gathered about the building since the earthquakes. A number of Library staff have asked if a meeting could be held about the James Hight building.
Peter Molony has made himself available on Thursday 12th May from 3.00 p.m. until 3.45 p.m., venue to be announced. Staff from ICTS and the Digital Media Group will also be invited to attend.
At this point in time, the Central Lending team will be returning to Level 2 of the James Hight Building when Levels 2 & 3 opens during the week of the 16th May. ICTS Service Desk staff will also be returning to James Hight. Other Library staff including the Liaison Librarians, Library Support Services staff, the Library Research & Information Services Managers, and the Library Support Services Manager plus the ELM group from Digital Media may return to work on Level 5 of the James Hight, date of return not yet known. There is a meeting of Managers on Monday to discuss which teams will be returning to work in this building.
I will update this posting next week when I receive the information about the venue.
An update on the Library physical spaces as at the 27th April
Education Library – open
Macmillan Brown Library – open
Library Warehouse – open
Central Library – Levels 2 & 3 will be open soon, actual date at this point in time not known, additional information will be available on Thursday. Additional work on a construction joint on Level 4 has delayed the opening previously foreast for 2nd May.
Law Library – expected handover date from Hawkins in now 19th May, it is expected that there will be at least a weeks worth of reshelving and sorting of books before the Library opens. No retrievals until access is gained into the building.
EPS Library – retreivals are still taking place however the restrictions placed on this building by both the Siemons Building and the Mushroom mean that it will not be available for use as a public space for sometime to come. The offering of EPS services, e.g. High Demand, from Levels 2 & 3 of Central Library is being explored.
