nbruce writes ““Will college students walk three miles for a bookâ€? asks the Columbus Dispatch in a Jan. 23, 2004 article about the closing for renovation of the Main Library on the Oval of The Ohio State University. The Dispatch is only available online with a subscription, but the renovation progress is at the Libraries Home page. If you have any ties to OSU at all, or have ever visited the campus, be sure to click through the historical timeline at this site for some wonderful old photos. Notice the grandeur of 1913, compared to the hatchet job of the 1970s.
nbruce writes ““Will college students walk three miles for a bookâ€? asks the Columbus Dispatch in a Jan. 23, 2004 article about the closing for renovation of the Main Library on the Oval of The Ohio State University. The Dispatch is only available online with a subscription, but the renovation progress is at the Libraries Home page. If you have any ties to OSU at all, or have ever visited the campus, be sure to click through the historical timeline at this site for some wonderful old photos. Notice the grandeur of 1913, compared to the hatchet job of the 1970s.
The Dispatch doesn’t paint a pretty picture for today’s students–most of whom will be gone before completion date sometime in 2008. The building will be closed for at least three years, and students and materials will be shuttled to a location off campus. The story in Section C quotes Wes Boomgaarden, Preservation Officer, who is overseeing the project: “It’s faster, cheaper and safer to leave.â€?
The renovation in the 1970s completely destroyed (in my opinion) the beauty and atmosphere of the main reading rooms and spacious halls. A homely, but utilitarian book tower built in 1951 holds 1.1 million volumes.
The saddest quote from Wes is : â€?By the time we open in 2008, what is the value of a printed book? It’s a difficult thing to plan.â€?”
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