Renovations are still underway on the third floor of the Glenn G. Bartle Library.

The third floor of the Bartle Library has been off-limits since the renovations began last fall. The construction timeline remains on track, with completion still set for the spring of 2024. The new third floor aims to provide a space for both students and faculty to have access to new digital tools and opportunities through the Digital Scholarship Center. Additionally, the University is also using the renovation project to safely rid the third floor of asbestos, part of a campus-wide plan.

According to Bryan Field, communications officer for the Binghamton University Libraries, the third floor renovations and the addition of new technological resources, such as outlets and studios, are a crucial part of BU’s overall ability to adapt to an increasingly digital world.

“The new space will be able to adapt and meet the needs of the campus community as scholarship needs may change over time,” Field wrote in an email. “When complete, the third floor will feature a new Digital Scholarship Center to support our Digital Scholarship Services, meeting space for collaboration, instruction and individual quiet study, as well as our unique collections. This holistic approach will allow the libraries to be at the forefront of providing top-tier support for many aspects of scholarship.”

Along with these renovations has also come a temporary loss of study space, various collections and books. Field said that although it is difficult to lose such an important resource in the library, the University is still providing students with many options to get a hold of materials they might need virtually.

“Collections usually housed in Bartle [Library] are either located off-site or on the ground floor Science Library, which was just recently opened,” Field wrote. “Previously, work was completed to accommodate holding our printed collections, and we are glad to have that space open for use again. Wherever our collections may be located, students will always be able to search for these books in our Library Catalog and request a copy of the book via our Interlibrary Loan service.”

Asbestos abatement is also underway, described on notices on the library entrance, as a part of the University’s systematic approach to removing it completely from campus. Asbestos was often used as a building material across BU as a form of sound absorption and resistance of heat. This has been an ongoing project since the Environmental Protection Agency passed the Clean Air Act in 1973, in an attempt to bring change to various air pollution issues.

In regard to public safety during this renovation and abatement process, Field wrote the University has been addressing the situation with “great caution and care.” For the past few decades, BU has been removing asbestos from areas being renovated (hyperlink: https://www.binghamton.edu/offices/environmental-health-safety/general-safety/asbestos.html), since the areas are already closed off for construction. According to the New York State Department of Labor, isolation is required for places that are under containment for asbestos removal, guidelines BU is following.

Rebecca Mosny, a senior majoring in accounting, said she believes the closing of the third floor may be the reason it has gotten increasingly difficult to find an open spot for studying.

“Since the third floor of Bartle [Library] has been closed, I’ve noticed that other areas of the library seem to be very crowded,” Mosny wrote. “It used to be where my friends and I would go to study all the time, especially in the private study rooms. However, I understand that this new upgrade to the third floor will benefit the University and its students in the long run, and it is necessary to address any potential health risks by getting rid of the asbestos in the process.”

Grace Dean, an undeclared freshman, wrote about her concern for potential exposure of asbestos to students.

“My biggest worry would be the potential risks posed if the removal of asbestos is not done correctly, and how that may impact us as students here,” Dean wrote. “I’m optimistic though, and I hope that everything goes well and on time.”

Students searching for library material that may have changed locations can find a list of subject guides here.