Binghamton University Libraries began relocating around 440,000 books on Monday in preparation for the expected January 2025 reopening of the Glenn G. Bartle Library’s third floor.

The relocation process is expected to occur in three phases, with 190,000 books — half of the library science/bibliographies and literature collection — first moved from the Science Library to the newly renovated third floor. The Libraries expect “no major disruptions to the access of materials,” and students will still have access to necessary research materials through the online catalog. Physical collections in Special Collections and Archives, the University Downtown Center Library and the Collection Management Facility will remain unaffected by the relocation.

“The Libraries are excited to be entering the final phase of the Bartle Library third floor renovation project which includes furniture and technology installation as well as moving the collections back onto the shelves in Bartle,” Bryan Field, the libraries communications officer, wrote in an email.

During the second phase, 110,000 books from several social science disciplines like geography, anthropology, economic history and sociology will be permanently relocated from Bartle’s fourth floor to the Science Library ground floor. The final phase will see the transfer of the linguistics and remaining literature collections — 100,000 books — from the ground floor of the Science Library to Bartle’s fourth floor. Normal material access is expected to resume this December.

Karen Fennie, a communications specialist for Facilities Management, confirmed in a statement to Pipe Dream that third-floor construction has been completed and is on track for a January reopening. The renovations are expected to include new study spaces and technological resources.

“With an anticipated opening of January 2025, the new space will be able to adapt and meet the needs of the campus community as scholarship needs change over time,” Field wrote. “From student, faculty and staff input at the beginning of the planning process, when complete, the third floor will feature a new Digital Scholarship Center to support the exploration and integration of technology with research, a Data Studio with workstations to visualize data alongside library experts, and a MakerLab to provide an accessible entry point to explore new technologies including 3D prototyping, fabrication and scanning equipment.”

The renovated third floor will provide meeting spaces for quiet studying and collaborative work. After its 2021 closure, student anticipation is building around the reveal.

“I hope to see, honestly, an easier way of getting around the whole library, finding things, more study spaces, because sometimes things get crowded and then loud on the fourth floor,” said Chloe Cairncross, a second-year master’s student studying genocide and mass atrocity prevention. “And just better access to materials and things that we need.”

The Libraries will continue to provide updates throughout this project through their blog, website and Dateline. For more information regarding the collections move, including the various stages of the process, see this post on the Libraries’ website.