University officials will expand the Science and Engineering Library in the Norris Hall Gymnasium to an adjacent gym so students will have easier access to periodicals dating back 10 years.
Officials spent three weeks trying to solve delays in the courier service that transports books between the caverns in Andersen Library and the engineering library.
The more than 300 daily requests for books temporarily stored in Andersen Library was too much for the service to handle, forcing students to wait hours and, sometimes, days for requested research material.
University library officials determined two-thirds of the requests for periodicals are publications within these 10 years, said Suzan Hallgren, team leader for Information Access and Delivery Services in University libraries.
“We feel seven more years (of journals) available will take more pressure off the courier system,” Hallgren said.
In addition to the periodicals, other highly used material will be made available in the expansion.
Hallgren added that Facilities Management is still putting together the final details of the addition before they can set a date to move the material in.
A courier system was put in place at the beginning of the semester when the Science and Engineering Library had to move out of Walter Library, which is undergoing an 18-month renovation.
Currently, library officials send e-mails to users to notify them that books have arrived. The goal of the library is to have the delivery of all requested material done twice a day, eliminating the need for a notification system.
The courier service makes deliveries at noon and 4 p.m. For a student to have material delivered at these times, they have to place an order before 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

Nathan Whalen covers construction and facilities and welcomes comments at [email protected]. He can also be reached at (612)-627-4070 x3236.