Newly Renovated Gottesman Library Finally Opens
Despite a long series of delays, most of the renovations to the Gottesman Library have finally been completed. All of the floors are accessible to students except for a part of the second floor, which is still under construction.
After much anticipation, the beautiful library has become the most popular spot on the Wilf Campus. “I go to the library almost everyday. Now that it looks so much nicer, it has even become crowded at times. I can’t believe how popular it is,” said sophomore Yehoshua Zirman. With so much talk regarding the library, the remaining renovations are greatly anticipated.
Paul Glassman, Director of University Libraries, clarified why the renovations and some new additions to the library have postponed. “Often times, with projects such as these, the projected dates are estimates and can not be expected to be finished by an assigned date. One has to account for errors and delays. Additionally, the University decided to go for quality instead of speed.” Professor Glassman explained that almost all of the renovations to the library itself are finished; the remaining construction will be on the second floor.
The construction that is taking place on the second floor will provide a new brightened atmosphere. There will be a curving staircase connecting the Gottesman Library to the Nagel Family Atrium, up to the main entrance of the Pollack Library. Along the walls of the staircase will be a mural painted by a professional artist. Additionally, due to the reformatting of the library layout, the windows along Amsterdam Avenue will provide more natural light in the library, improving the ambiance for studying. Sophomore Eli Weinstein, said, “The fourth floor has become my new home. I go every night to study for my classes, and now that finals are approaching I will be there even more.”
Part of the new construction includes study rooms which students can use with their contemporaries. A significant number of seats have been added since last year so that more students can use the facilities. Furthermore, more lounge chairs have been installed, most on the second floor. Junior Akiva Marder seemed ecstatic about the near-completion of the library: “The library looks so much better than it did last year. I can’t wait to see the final product. Even though I expected to see it a while ago, I am still excited to see what the University came up with.”
Although there is no announced completion date for the remaining renovations, excitement is in the air. Students as well as faculty are thrilled by the new accommodations of the library. Junior Elie Lipnik, said, “I enjoy studying in groups, and the new rooms added to the library are going to be very helpful. I can’t wait until everything is completed.” With finals and term papers around the corner, the future looks bright for the Gottesman Library.
