University Library Administrators hope to open the first three floors of Zimmerman Library in late June, although an exact date has not yet been set. Students will be able to check out books and use portions of the library as a study area.
Currently crews from the UNM Physical Plant and an outside contractor are cleaning soot from the books and wiping down surfaces in the library in preparation for the re-opening. Electrical crews are working to rewire the library so that a fire alarm system is in place.
Access to the periodicals will continue to be online, since the bound periodicals are being professionally cleaned. Interim Dean of University Libraries Fran Wilkinson hopes it will be possible to bring back the bound periodicals sometime in the fall. Articles can be requested through interlibrary loan at http://illiad.unm.edu/illiad/logon.html or click on interlibrary loan on the elibrary page at: elibrary. Articles not sent to student’s email accounts and books borrowed through interlibrary loan can be picked up at Centennial Library.
Materials from the Center for Southwest Research are unavailable, as are the microfilms that were housed in the basement area, but library administrators say most other materials in the library are available if professors and students consult the reference librarians in advance.
Library administrators are trying to incorporate planned improvements into the recovery effort by looking into the remodeling of parts of the library in preparation for a long-planned research plaza.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; e-mail: kwent2@unm.edu