New library building at The University of Chicago

After I posted information about the latest issue of The University of Chicago Library’s newsletter, I found out that a new library building — not simply an automated storage facility as previously understood — is now being planned. The new library building will be realized with a $25 million gift and will be named The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library in honor of the donors. Joe Mansueto is founder of Morningstar, Inc. Check out drawings and links to more information here. Most of it will be underground, with the main visual clue to its location being a large dome sitting immediately to the west of the Regenstein Library where I used to work for a number of years. What’s interesting about this whole development is that U of C will hold a fairly distinct place among large academic and research libraries in that all physical collections will be housed on campus, whereas most other peer institutions have resorted to offsite storage. Oh and by the way, the new building was designed by Helmut Jahn. Pretty cool!

Bizarre toilet usage habits

I laughed ’til I cried the other day when I read a post on the University of Chicago Library’s feedback blog, Maroon Opinions, that had to do with a complaint about auto-flushing toilets in the Regenstein Library. I really can’t add anything more; you’ll just have to read it yourself.