Students have a more modern, accessible and technologically advanced Bizzell Memorial Library this semester after updates were made during the summer.
New features include a redone computer lab and staircase, fresh paint, new carpeting, more white boards and comfortable furniture with some workplaces designed for collaboration and others for individual studying.
Many of these efforts are in an attempt to increase student traffic and make it an easy place to find information, said Carl Grant, associate dean of knowledge services and chief technology officer for OU Libraries. The library is built to be an intellectual crossroads where people can share their expertise, he said.
“I think the library is really, in these times, more important than ever,” Grant said. “I think it’s pretty clear that in these times, expertise and knowledge is under attack in our environment, and without that, education falls apart, science falls apart, society falls apart. So the skills we teach in the library become really important: How do you evaluate information? How do you evaluate sources? How do you make sure it’s credible?”
Communication sophomore Lauren Schmidt said she used to study on lower level one with just the bookcases last year, but the updated study spaces are much more beneficial because she has more of her own space.
“I think it’s a lot more appealing than it was last year,” Schmidt said. “I think a lot of people are going to come down here and start studying now, especially with this area being redone.”
One of the most noticeable updates is the renovated staircase. The stairs were redone with wood and tile to be more aesthetically pleasing, but also because they were getting so much wear that the carpet and treads were having to be replaced every semester, and having the treads worn out made it somewhat dangerous, Grant said.
Economics and philosophy senior Charlie Dutton said how the stairs look does not have an effect on whether he wants to visit the library, but they are more aesthetically pleasing once he is there.
"I like the new stairs," Dutton said. "I think it looks modern and sleek."
The library also has a new search interface that separates results by category, such as eResources or books, and shows all the different places information can be found. The new search interface is a major step forward in assisting its users, Grant said.
“Knowledge can be created in many different forms now, and lots of people still think of a library, and that’s books, magazines and journals, and it’s far more than that,” Grant said. “It’s images, it’s maps, it’s sound, it’s video, it’s 3-D printing, it’s virtual reality, it’s electronic circuits … Knowledge is expressed in many different forms now, and we’re encompassing all of those."
Construction is also still underway on lower level two, which will cater to graduate students and faculty and provide access to the Canyon Rock Garden. Grant said he expects it to be done sometime in October.
