If you've ever undertaken a home remodeling project, you know
how wonderful it feels to apply that final coat of paint, sweep away the debris,
and arrange the furnishings just so. Best of all, you invite your family and
friends over to share your pleasure and admire the results of your hard work.
That's just how my colleagues and I feel right now. We've recently moved back
to Walter Library, which has undergone an amazing transformation over the past
two and a half years. On paper, the scope of the building's $63.4 million renovation
was impressive; in person, it's extraordinary.
Walter Library offers the best of both worlds: a state-of-the-art, high-tech
facility that's also a feast for the eye. Floor to ceiling, it's rich in architectural
details, color, and textures that create a warm, welcoming environment in which
to work or study. Those of you who remember the old Walter Library will be
amazed at the beauty that lay dormant under layers of paint and grime.
Gone is the old stack core; in its place are modern classrooms, offices, laboratories,
and research facilities. After years of planning, the Digital Technology Center
(DTC) is now a reality. Under director Andrew Odlyzko, the interdisciplinary
center will work to advance the University—and Minnesota—as a national
leader in digital and information technology.
Our faculty and students are delighted with the new Science and Engineering
Library facilities, which include a completely refurbished stack area and magnificent
second-floor reference room. The library offers over 1,000 electronic resources,
digital scanning services, and high-speed Internet access for laptops (wireless
access will be added soon). The library staff is also creating a state-of-the-art
digital library that will feature many new plug-and-play technologies.
The people of Minnesota can expect a great return on their investment in the
DTC and in education. But we must continue to develop our strengths and to
invest in critical areas. That's why your support for the University's 2002
capital funding request—$239.8 million over the next two years—is
so crucial. The request includes $3 million for designing a teaching and technology
center for IT that will allow us to increase the number of students enrolled
in technically demanding and high-growth programs.
The new building will also enable us to begin a series of renovations that
will provide expanded, modern teaching and research facilities for physics
and astronomy, geology and geophysics, and computer science and engineering.
For more information, see www.umn.edu/urelate/request.
Walter Library—a wonderful instruction and research facility for the 21st
century—is proof that dreams do come true. In this issue you can read
about the renovation and take a visual tour. Better yet, come to campus and
see it for yourself. You'll be so proud of what we've accomplished together.
