Wolfson Campus Library Undergoes Renovations

The Wolfson Campus library underwent $310,000 in renovations that include new furniture, retrofit lighting and new carpeting to correct the previous “very dungeon-like” atmosphere,  according to Zoila De Yurre Fatemian, the director of  Learning Resources at the campus.

Renovations in the two-story library include flat-surfaced workstations with glass dividers to provide personal workspace, yellow lounge chairs, comfortable electric-green chairs, several  large blue-booth style workstations, white tables for four, and blue carpeting with green and red speckles.      

“I wanted to bring in the green from the palm trees,” Fatemian said. “I wanted to bring in the blue from the skies. I wanted to create a feel that the students felt connected to the outside.”

Students said they have noticed a change.

“It’s modern,” said Barbara Calvo, a bachelor of arts student majoring in supervision and management. “It’s clean that is always important.”   

Added Frank Gates a bachelor of arts student majoring in business applied science: “I like it; more spacious and brighter.”

Planning for the remodeling started in January. Before the renovations, the library still had bookshelves from when it was first built in 1970.

The first floor  renovations were complete by the first week of class. Work for the second floor was completed by the second week of school.

The Wolfson Campus, which uses the Library of Congress System that many colleges and universities use, serves about 35,000 individuals per semester.    

Students can study, use computers, make copies and rent movies at the library.

But the new environment has made a big difference, students say.

“Completely better, ” said psychology major, Gabriela Guardarrama, who was recently studying at the library,” A whole new turn around.”

Staff writer Carel Lajara contributed to this report.