Coleman Library is in the process of completing phase two of its new $6 million building that will increase the amount of informational resources that are available to students.
The 47,100 square foot, five-story building will provide students with accessibility to computer workstations, group and individual study facilities, along with a state of the art classroom and conference room.
The library, originally constructed in the late 1940s, completed its first phase in 1990.
“In 1946, there was already a need for a new building,” said Lauren Sapp, director of libraries.
“We are not getting as much space as we need,” said Sapp, who has witnessed the transitions of the Coleman Library since 1996.
She recognizes the need for additional shelving and other library resources, but is still pleased with the expansion that is being completed by Culpepper Construction, Inc of Tallahassee.
May 2002 marked the groundbreaking of the expansion that should be completed in late 2004, according to officials in university planning.
May 2002 also served as a groundbreaking of education. In 2004, the library staff will provide informative classes and students will have a better understanding of the technological and traditional resources that will be available to them in the library.
“When our students graduate they will know how to find, evaluate and use information,” Sapp said.
Sapp is passionate about informing the student body of the importance of being able to use library resources such as Web Luis, so they will be able to accurately find information from a variety of databases.
“The new library will be more efficient for students,” said Will Smith, a work-study student in the periodicals section at the library.
The 20-year-old junior from Quincy believes that the new technology will provide students with the opportunity to use materials that will advance their learning skills.
According to Sapp, funding for this expansion is being provided by the state. New workers will be able to be hired when the library is able to receive funding for additional staff.
“We are a state-funded school and there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to use our own resources,” said Trenton Smith, 27, a junior history student from Miami.
Sapp said she tries to make the library sufficient to the university and the research needs of the students. Compact shelves, additional seating and open carols will also be included in the expansion process.
The proposed plan for phase three of the Coleman Library is a science laboratory that will house resources on all of the sciences.