Today at the Library

From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. today, Love Library was closed for the university’s annual summer emergency drill. Love Library floors 1-5 were the training grounds for SDSU Police and law enforcement agencies throughout San Diego County to practice their response to a violent intruder incident. The exercise also included a test of SDSU’s emergency notification methods, including the SDSU Home page, Urgent page, Emergency Information Line, SDSU Alert (text messaging), and social media sites.

In the photo above, one of our security officers is stationed at the end of Donor Hall to redirect people wanting to access Love Library. The Library Addition was not used in the drill and was open throughout the morning.

Remembering Tony Gwynn

We’re going to time travel today…back to 2007…when the SDSU Library presented an exhibit titled “Beyond the Batter’s Box: The Hall of Fame Life of Tony Gwynn.” It was the year Tony Gwynn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the library celebrated that event with an exhibit featuring memorabilia, photographs, and awards from Gwynn’s stellar career and his time as a student and coach at San Diego State University. The items in the exhibit were selected and loaned to us by Gwynn himself.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time here talking about Gwynn’s career…you probably already know that he was one of the greatest baseball players and a stand-up guy off the field…and if you don’t, there are countless news articles and Web sites where you can read about him. What I want to share is a more personal glimpse of the Tony Gwynn we knew at the library. Below are some photos of the 2007 exhibit and reception in Special Collections. He was then…and will always be…a larger-than-life presence.

SDSU NewsCenter article about the Gwynn exhibit

Beat the Drums!

SDSU’s Brazilian Drumming Ensemble performed outside the dome yesterday around 5 p.m. “Awesome” pretty much covers it!

Feeling Stressed? Let Us Help

He’s back! Everyone’s favorite therapy dog, Baxter, will be visiting the library again, along with his pal Andie from the SPCA. Drop by and get some puppy love!

Give us your tired, your stressed, your weary souls in need of relaxation, coping strategies, or a comforting sloppy dog kiss!

It’s finals time again, and the SDSU Library is offering a slate of stress relief programs to help you manage the pressure:

Monday, May 5 at 10:00 a.m., in Room LA2203 — Meditation

Tuesday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m., in Room LA2203. — Meditation

Tuesday, May 6, 9 a.m.–11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., Reference Services area — Baxter the therapy dog (courtesy of SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services)

Wednesday, May 7 at 12:00 p.m., in the Reference Services Area — Biofeedback

Friday, May 9, 9 a.m.–11:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., in the Reference Services area — Baxter the therapy dog

Friday, May 9, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., in the Tutoring Center — Stress Management

Monday, May 12, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., in the Reference Services area — Andie the therapy dog (courtesy of the San Diego SPCA)

Tuesday, May 13, 9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m., in the Tutoring Center — Stress Management

Tuesday, May 13, 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., in the Reference Services area — Baxter the therapy dog

Wednesday, May 14, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., in the Reference Services area — Baxter the therapy dog

Pastries also will be served on several evenings. Coffee will be available at Peabody’s Coffee in the 24/7 Study Area, which will stay open until 2:00 a.m.

The library will also be offering extended study space/hours by keeping the entire library dome open 24 hours from 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 15. Grab your books and burn the midnight oil with us!

Art Under and Outside the Dome

In real estate, they say that location, location, location is all-important. For today’s Art Under the Dome concerts, location played a big role as well. For the first time, we had a concert just outside the dome: a student brass ensemble. It was perfect. Inside, we tested another new location: woodwinds and French horns on the first floor near the Circulation Desk. That worked, too. The views from the 2nd floor balcony were great! But wherever you stood or sat to enjoy the performance, the music was wonderful!

Black and White and a World of Colors

Have you been wondering what we’ve had planned for the pianos sitting, covered, on the 1st floor of the Dome near the elevator shaft?

If you were in the library around noon today, you found out!

Today’s “Art Under the Dome” featured students from SDSU piano classes. They performed a variety of works, not just the usual (but good!) fare of Mozart and Bach.

I noticed a lot of people put down their books, closed their laptops, and paused in their tracks to listen. How could you not?

The piano keys are black and white
but they sound like a million colors in your mind
― Maria Cristina Mena, The Collected Stories of Maria Cristina Mena

Renovated 3rd Floor Study Area Is Open!

New furniture, fresh paint, more electrical outlets, and other amenities will make studying in the newly renovated 3rd floor study area in Love Library a better experience. The area is still food friendly and includes a couple of vending machines.

Nice, huh?

What are you waiting for…grab your books and your laptop and pull up a chair!

Making Notes

I was expecting one chamber music ensemble for today’s Art Under the Dome. Instead, we got…well, maybe the whole department! Reeds, strings, and voices joined in to provide a wonderful variety of music under the dome this afternoon. SDSU’s talented student musicians were at their best!

Encore! The Hausmann Quartet

SDSU is fortunate to have the Hausmann Quartet in its artist in residence program, and we at the library are especially lucky because they’re becoming a regular at our Art Under the Dome events. During their performances, they treat us to a wide variety of chamber music, from Haydn to Bach and beyond, which are usually segments of pieces they’re playing in upcoming concerts at Smith Recital Hall. Today’s performance included highlights from their Converge Concert Series.

Coming Soon…Updated Study Area

Now you see it…soon you won’t.

The renovation process has already begun in the 3rd floor study lounge. Cabinets of Government Publications materials have already been moved to Current Periodicals and Microforms Center. Plastic sheeting is being hung. Soon, the furniture will be removed, and the area will be closed to the public so the heavy-duty work can get underway.

We think you’ll be pleased with what you see when the area reopens around the end of April. The walls will be freshly painted, and new lighting and upgraded electrical amenities will have been installed (during spring break). You’ll find new tables, new seating, and new study carrels, as well as electronic recharging stations. The area will still be food friendly, so we’re installing paper towel and wet-wipe dispensers so you can help us to keep the area clean.

In the meantime, study space is available in Rooms 2203 and 108 (Library Addition and Donor Hall), the 24/7 Study Area, Library Addition basement, and the 5th floor of Love Library. In fact, comfortable chairs, carrels, and tables are scattered throughout Love Library.

Photos of the renovated study area will be posted when the work is finished. Let us know what you think!