By
Blake Smith
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Earplugs and advice as to where to study available at the information desks
While construction crews continue working on library improvements, employees are helping students deal with the noise by handing out earplugs.
Demolition of the circulation desk and the periodicals area on the main floor, as well as destruction of the concrete wall separating the new Integrated Learning Center from the Main Library, is causing jackhammer vibrations and spinning screwdriver sounds throughout the library.
The number of earplugs distributed changes depending on the time of day, but library specialist Saad Dagher estimates that he hands out about three sets each hour.
"Last week I handed out a lot," Dagher said.
Dagher, who works at the information desk located at the entrance of the Main Library, 1510 E. University Blvd., said patrons tend to ask for earplugs during the early morning hours because that is when most of the demolition occurs.
Dagher said he tells students to go to the fourth or fifth floors if the noise becomes too loud and added that there are still plenty of places around the library to avoid the construction disruption.
Music education junior Cliff Eubank said he does not even bother studying at the library because of the construction.
"It is pretty disruptive," Eubank said.
He added that he simply gets books that he needs from the library and studies at home.
Eubank said even though the noise can be disruptive, the improvements to the library are needed.
"It would be pretty nice to have better facilities," he said. "The library is a little outdated."
Library specialist Lynne Carmody said students generally do not complain about the noise and are more interested in what the crews are doing.
Carmody added that a new circulation desk, more study rooms and additional staff conference rooms are some of the changes being made to the main floor of the library.
Demolition of the concrete wall in the basement, which will eventually give way to an information commons with expanded computer terminals and resources, will continue this week during the late night and early morning hours because of the extreme noise that is caused.
Christine Schmidt, an information resource and library science graduate student, said she finds refuge from the noise by going to the top floors of the library.
"It has never really bothered me," Schmidt added.
She said that improvements to the library are worth the temporary noise.
"We're improving our customer service," Dagher said. "(The students) understand that it is for their benefit."
Demolition of the concrete wall between the library and the ILC is expected to be completed by Nov. 13, with most of the destruction occurring during night hours.
The circulation area improvements on the main floor are expected to continue during daytime hours for the rest of the semester.
Free earplugs are available from the information and reference desks at the Main Library.
