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Office of College Communications
Phone 757.455.3366
Fax 757.461.4944

 

Library Modernization

The Hofheimer Library relocates to Village II for the summer.

Hofheimer Library
The Henry Clay Hofheimer II Library.

On Monday, May 19, Virginia Wesleyan College began modernization of the Henry Clay Hofheimer II Library to transform the facility into a hub for study, research and relaxation for students and faculty, as part of the College's Key to the Future Campaign.

Completed in 1969, the library is one of the College's original buildings and is located in the middle of campus.  To accommodate the modernization project, the library will be housed for the summer in the Village II Commons, where services for students and faculty will include:

  • Small collection of academic, recreational reading, and reference books
  • Reserve materials
  • Selection of DVD movies
  • Some current magazines and journals
  • Computers for Virginia Wesleyan community use (no public access computers)
  • Study and work space for students
  • All online databases and resources remain fully available and remotely accessible, including journals and a 50,000 volume electronic book collection
  • Full offering of library research and assistance from library staff
  • Arrangements with other libraries for borrowing necessary materials

The library staff has been working diligently to make provisions to provide just as many quality services as ever to the Virginia Wesleyan community.

Director of the Library Jan Pace said that while it might be a concern to some people when they come into Village II and don't see large amounts of books, the community need not worry. 

"We're working on strategies with libraries in the local area and will be taking advantage of the reciprocal agreements we have with the Virginia Tidewater Consortium libraries," she said. "If we don't have the book, we will either get it through interlibrary loan or we'll go pick it up from the library."

Pace also said that space is a concern and the library staff is looking at alternatives for providing study space for students. 

"We have study space in the library, tables for students, comfortable seating and computers," she said. "What individuals are getting is the same great library services, just on a scaled-down basis."

To accommodate students and their needs, Pace and her staff have increased the electronic book collection from 40,000 volumes to 50,000. In addition, librarians are making plans to visit student-oriented spaces on campus this fall to help with research, and also hope to arrange for students to visit nearby college and university libraries, which would be an additional opportunity and learning experience for research, said Pace.

Vice President of Operations Bruce Vaughan said that while no firm date has been set for the library to re-open, he anticipates it will be in November 2008.

Vaughan also said that at this juncture of the modernization, "we're anticipating that the library will stay in Village II throughout the duration [of the project] and continue to offer library services such as interlibrary loans, research capabilities and librarian instruction." 

Although the renovations may be inconvenient, Pace said the completed modernization will have a positive impact for the campus and the learning environment for students.

"What we're sacrificing right now is nothing compared to the advantages the entire campus community is going to gain when the library is finished," she said. "Students are going to have a 24-hour study center, additional spaces for collaborative learning, and another comfortable, inviting place on campus to meet up with friends. Faculty and staff will have access to a beautiful new conference room and an 'instructional delivery' classroom with teleconferencing capabilities. All in all, very well worth the inconvenience and wait."

05.21.08