New Computers Now Open

After two weeks of their installation about sixty of the new computers on the first floor became available to students early this week.

The lack of computers on the library had forced information systems major Mike Schilling, 34, to stop using the library as a study area, " They do not have enough computers, they should have another computer lab," he said.

"There are more computers than usual" said Health science major Masai Tsegazeab, 23, who has found the computers quite helpful because these computers do not have the 15-minute limit as the other computers in the library.

Students had desperately been waiting for new computers to open and as soon as the computers were open they quickly became occupied which resulted in frustration for students who had wait for a computer.

" It is really frustrating having to stand in line for a computer," said Adriana Sandoval, 20, a Spanish major student.

New study area on first floor.

A new lounge and study area was open to students on the first floor last week. The area includes couches and tables placed along the southern library's wall which provides power and Internet connection outlets for students using computers laptops. Biology major Anthony Tran, 18, finds he new area helpful to student because it will relieve some of the congestion on the other study areas. For Tran getting access to a power outlet on the third floor was "like a competition" and now "it (the new area) has help because I don't have to walk up to the fourth floor," he said. Political science major Jocelyn Gomez, 20, is glad the library is finally offering student more comfortable space to study. " Once when I went to the basement and I couldn’t find an outlet to connect my laptop and I had to move around because the construction people said that I was in their way. It was also hot in the basement," said Gomez.

Chairs delaying computers on first floor

The new computers on the first floor have been completely installed, however they are not available to students just yet. The reason: chairs. Yes, chairs, incredibly enough because there are no chairs for students to sit on the computers have not been made available to students. "Someone forgot to order the chairs," said Jeffrey Robert Lagrue an electronic reference worker. Lagrue did not know exactly who forgot to place the order and said that because of it computers might not be open to students' use until the end of the month.

Computers on First Floor Almost Ready

The installation of the new computers on the first floor of the library began on Thrusday afternoon. By 4 p.m. Library and academic technology services workers had already set up monitors and keyboards on at least three of the computer station rows. Although it is not certain when exactly the computers will be available to students, library services worker Luis Perez Jimenes who was installing the computers said that the computers might be ready by next week.

Tom Nguyen(left) and Luis Perez (top) setting up computers on the first floor.

More computers on the way!

Only construction workers are allowed into the second and third floors. Although, some books housed in these floors are still accessible, they need to be order through Coast, it takes at least half a day to get them. The first floor however, is being ready to install new computers which if ready by mid-terms or finals will be very helpful.

The second and third floors of the library were not yet completely closed as of last Friday. Students were still allowed to walk freely in and out of these floors, but walking was the only activity students could do on these floors. Books were inaccessible. In an interview last semester with librarian and faculty facilities coordinator Tracey Mayfield, she had said that as soon as the first floor was open it will house over two hundred computers for students to use. The first floor is now open, and yes it does house some computers but is not even close to two hundred. There is only about twenty ( 25 exactly)and most of them, it seems, are always in use. There was a line of about ten students waiting for an available computer. With mid-term approaching lets hope that more computers become available or the library reopens one of the now closed floors.

Many boxes, few study areas

As of Thursday of last week the third floor of the CSULB Library had no study spaces available to student, they were being occupied by hundreds and hundreds of boxes full of books. Some students were using the walkways and space between book racks to do their homework. The library does offer study are but they are on the fourth and fifth floor and even on these floors it is not easy to find a nice quiet space to study. This situation is only about to get worst for those who enjoy doing homework in the library. According to the library's homepage the second phase of the remodel project began on March 1, which means that the second and third will not be available to students.