Celebrating past, present, future with the library

A special event before winter break will allow the campus community to celebrate the past, present and future of the New Mexico State University Library.
   

The NMSU Library open house will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at Zuhl Library and will showcase special historical materials in the library archives and special collections to represent the past, the user-friendly space redesign to represent the present, and will initiate the Two Million by 2012 Campaign to represent the future.
   

“The Two Million by 2012 campaign aims to increase [the library] collection to two million books by the end of 2012,” said Kristina Martinez, development officer for the NMSU Library. “The open house is a unique opportunity to invite the campus community as well as the public to share in the wonderful resources that NMSU Library offers to our patrons every day.”
   

Martinez said the historical materials in the archives and special collections will include the new exhibit in the Branson Library fourth floor gallery.
   

“A selection of a dozen panoramic photographs from the early to mid-twentieth century gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy views of past scenes and to learn more about the history of photography,” Martinez said.
   

Architecture student Connie Heard said the exhibit will encourage her to attend the open house.
   

“I’ve always been interested in photography and history,” Heard said. “This is a great way to get involved with both.”
   

To represent the present, Martinez said everyone who attends will receive a tour of the space redesign in Branson Library and Zuhl Library, thanks to input from a student survey and student employees.
   

“The first floors of both Branson and Zuhl Library recently received dramatic face-lifts,” Martinez said.
   

Martinez said from the surveys, NMSU staff learned students want quiet study spaces.
   

“This is consistent with other libraries’ studies, but it is good to have it confirmed on this campus,” Martinez said.
   

Martinez said students also want more comfortable furniture, more electrical outlets for their laptops, group study spaces and computers.
   

“The Branson Library first floor now features new paint, carpeting and furniture which have brought color and warmth to the 1952 building,” Martinez said.
   

Other changes to Branson Library include the installation of a new service desk, security gates and new carpeting to add color in the lobby, Martinez said.
   

In Zuhl Library, more computer spaces, study cubicles and group learning spaces were created. New signs were installed throughout the building and furniture was repurposed, reupholstered and rearranged, Martinez said.
   

Heard said she hopes more work space will be incorporated into the library redesign.
   

“My architecture classes require me to have a lot of room to spread out and sketch,” Heard said. “I’d definitely use more room if they offered it.”
   

Martinez said Two Million by 2012 is the newest library campaign and is one of the most important because it is targeted to promote the building of the book collection.
   

“As part of a doctoral and research-intensive university, the library is committed to making sure that we have the best resources available for our student, faculty and community researchers,” Library Dean Elizabeth A. Titus said in a press release about the campaign.        
   

“To be successful in this effort, we need to focus on building depth and breadth in our book collections.”
   

Martinez said the soft phase of this campaign began on July 1, 2008, but the public phase will begin Friday and will run until Dec. 12. As of Oct. 2,  Martinez said the official book count is 1,802,683 volumes, leaving only 197,317 volumes to go.
   

“The exciting part about this campaign is that everyone can help us reach this goal and take our library and university to the next level,” Martinez said.         “Whether giving money to help purchase new books or giving books from personal collections which will enhance our collection, every gift is important and will help us toward our goal of two million volumes.”
   

Martinez said another unique feature of the campaign is the Honor with Books program, which allows the public to purchase a book for the library to be inscribed with the honoree’s name.
   

“The library offers a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to a loved one or a graduate, to make a memorial gift or even to give a birthday gift by buying a book in that person’s name,” Martinez said.


Jenna Candelaria is the staff writer and can be reached at trunews@nmsu.edu