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By Minnie Breuer UMR 's Curtis Laws Wilson Library is a vital learning resource center for students, faculty, staff and the general public. Plans to expand the library's facilities would provide additional study , shelving and work space and allow for continued growth ensuring that the library will continue to be a high-quality learning resource. "The planned expansion will provide much-needed space for the library 's patrons, staff and resources and accommodate the projected increase in materials and services during the next 20 years, as well," according to UMR Chancellor Martin C. Jischke. Dr. John Park, UMR vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, "The UMR Library, which is the primary resource center for teaching and research on the campus, has a well-qualified and productive staff and this expansion will allow them to continue to provide support for teaching and research activities in an efficient
manner." At its December meeti ng, th e University of Missouri System Board of Curators approved the emplo yment of Murphy, Downey, Wofford and Richman , Architects of St. Loui s to begin preliminary plans for an approximate ly 60,000-square- foot addition to the building. The expansion will provide additional study space for about 600 persons, increased shelving space for the library' s holdings and appropriate display areas for current journal titles, according to Ronald Bohley , director of library and learnin g resources at UMR. "The present facility was built in 1968 to hold 300,000 volum es and to offer sea ting for 1,050 readers and work space for 18 fu ll -time e mployees," explained Bohley. At thi s time, the library ho uses 420,000 volumes, provides stud y space for about 650 readers and employs a staff of 25. "Through the years , the amount of space used for study and wo rk areas
has been redu ced in order to make room for the inc rease In the library 's ho ldings," said Bohley. "Currentl y, each stud y station occ upi es about 13 square feet," he added. "Guidelines prepared by the American College and Researc h Libraries recommend 25 to 35 square feet per study station." According to Jean Eisenman, ass istant director of public services at th e UMR Library , an increase in the amount of shelving space will ease th e crowding of th e existi ng collecti on and a lso would accommodate the increase that is anticipated durin g the nex t 20 years. " During the las t decade, the library has added an average of abo ut 10,000 volumes each year," Eisenman said. "If another 200,000 volumes are added to the collec tion in th e nex t two decades, the library's collection co uld exceed 600,000 volumes, or tw ice the number of vo lumes th e present fac ility was built to conta in ," she explained. MSM Alumnus 7
