Quinn Library to Move to Law School

By SARA AZOULAY

Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC)’s Quinn Library will move from its current location in the Lowenstein building to where the Fordham Law School’s library is located. The plan is set tentatively for 2014 and Quinn Library is currently taking steps to transition their move to the law library. Some noticeable minor changes include the rearrangement of new and old bookcases and updated library software.

Quinn Library before (top) and after (bottom) show its space now filled with compact bookshelves that make moving to the Law School easier. (Courtesy of Linda Loschiavo)

Over the summer, bookcases were moved around and added, creating a new layout for the library. According to Linda LoSchiavo, director of Quinn Library, the Law Library is using Quinn’s new compact bookshelves as storage space for their books so the move is easier. The stacks of library cases now outline the back of the library while the front is more open for students to walk around.

LoSchiavo said that the future plans for Quinn’s current space is still unknown. The Law Library will move to the new Law building currently under construction.

“We don’t know what’s happening to this space except for the compact book shelving. The compact shelves are for the use of the law library but other than that, there are no plans for this space,” she said.

The new design may be beneficial for the actual move-in day, but students have mixed comments about its new design.

Renee White, FCLC ’13, said she is disappointed with the change. “I think it kind of looks like a mess, to be completely honest. I get their intention of space saving but it’s sort of disorganized and it’s not very appealing.”

Another student had a similar opinion. Diane Betancur, FCLC ’13, said, “I figure they probably have a good reason for it. I’m not going to complain but I thought it was more homey before. I liked it better.”

The design plans of the new FCLC library after it moves into the Law building is also still unknown, but Robert Allen, deputy director of the Quinn Library, mentioned the idea of having study group rooms for students.

Allen said that he looks at this as an opportunity for the library “to evolve into the kind of library this campus deserves.” Allen hopes to have a voice in this transformation, even though other parties are involved. “We really do want this new facility to offer the students at FCLC the best a university library can offer.”

(Fatima Shabbir/The Observer)

In addition, LoSchiavo said she is excited to help with the redesigning of its setup. She explained that they plan to make the library more appealing to students at FCLC including having natural and better lighting to replace the current fluorescent lighting.

“We are going to try and get the most up to date facility when we move to that new space,” LoSchiavo said, “At the forefront of our goals is giving students a very modern and well equipped library but also amenities and comfort.”

The library administration also wants to hear suggestions from FCLC students. LoSchiavo said that she would like to speak with USG about meeting with a group of students. She said that the library has worked with students before. “Last year we had undergraduate students in the visual arts department make up architectural designs as their senior project.”

LoShiavo and Allen said that the freshman class now will see a very different library by the time they graduate FCLC.

Another change in Quinn Library is the update on computer software. The software, while beneficial to students, doesn’t coincide with the movement of the library. LoSchiavo said the update was just to ensure that students would be able to effectve by conduct academic research.

One of its features includes the ability to limit your search when looking for information within the library. “It has many more features that allow you to be more specific like exclusion, inclusion, and limiters,” Loschiavo said. The update was to ensure students’ searching in the library was enhanced from last semester.