ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the experience of vacating the four floors of the library that were to be renovated and operating the entire library on the two remaining floors. Both the challenges and some surprising advantages of operating in much smaller space are reviewed. With the library staff relocated into their temporary space, attention turned to finalizing the designs for the floors to be renovated and to preparations for opening day of the renovated floors. Major efforts included working directly with the library managers to set new standards of service delivery and hiring a new group of part-time staff committed to a new, more energetic approach to library service. Both existing and new staff were equipped with a new set of digital tools to smooth the patron experience. These included a new online room reservation system available to all members of the community and a new system of video screens throughout the renovated floors that showed the schedule of meetings in each room. Opening day revealed that the new security gates did not operate properly. As a result, the library moved to an open-access policy that welcomed everyone on campus, and this led to growing use of the library.
