Library Renovation Continues Despite Budget Cuts
Bookshelves are emptied as the move to the Village begins (Joseph Espiritu)
Renovations to Saddleback College’s library will continue as scheduled despite recent budget cuts in education funding.
Dean of Liberal Arts and Learning Resources, Kevin O’Connor said that plans to relocate library resources such as books and computers to the Village is continuing. “The move will take place this summer unless we are told otherwise,” O’Connor said.
Even though the entirety of the project has not been covered by state funds, O’Connor said that additional funding is achieved through Basic Aide and that will cover the remaining funds needed to complete the project.
Other school districts are also moving on with similar renovation projects regardless of state funding. O’Connor said that even though these districts have not been given adequate funds to complete the projects, they will use other funds until the state is able to reimburse them.
The slow process of moving resources has already begun. Several of the bookshelves have already had books removed. Staff has begun to allocate new bookshelves and prepare the Village for the move, which is set to take place this summer.
Due to the move, classes next fall that would have previously taken place in the library building will be moved to the Village as well as other locations on campus.
O’Connor said that even though this will lead to classes being impacted because of limited space, they are “happy to be impacted” since the renovation plans have been in the works for some time now.
The bulk of the move will take place during the summer. By the fall semester, the library resources will be located in the Village and available for student use. Plans are for the construction to be completed and resources moved back into the library by 2011.