Context

Webster Library has a recognized significant lack of study space. The massive increase of student enrolment and the collections growth as programs have expanded and diversified are the principal reasons why this library faces a particularly acute space problem.

Within the larger, ongoing task of library space planning, a Library team has developed a Collections Reconfiguration (Phase 1) plan to be implemented in 2012.

The essence of this phase of the plan is to transfer most of Webster Library's back issues of print journals to new compact shelving units, to be installed on the ground floor of the Vanier Library on the Loyola campus during summer 2012.

Representatives from all departments were invited to attend information sessions about the project and to give their input to the library team.

Summary of the project (presented to Concordia faculty at the information sessions held in February, 2012).

Objectives

• Expand study space at Webster Library (approximately 360 additional seats).
• Consolidate the Library's print journals, for which there is no current subscription, in the Vanier Library.
• Leave five latest years of the current journal subscriptions at the Webster library and send older volumes to Vanier. The only exception is Fine Arts journals for which the 10 latest years will be kept at Webster.
• Weed print journal collections in both libraries (for journals with secure online access).
• Reduce overcrowding of monographs.

Access to Vanier and Webster Libraries

Both campus libraries will remain open but access to certain areas might be blocked temporarily.

With the start of construction at the Vanier Library on May 28, access to the east side of the ground floor and the study tables in the north/east side of the 2nd floor will be blocked until the end of the project in August.

During preparation for the move at Webster Library in late July and early August and during the actual move in August, journal collections in both libraries may be closed to the public.

Timeline

New locations for print journal collection

Webster Library:

• The latest 5 years of all journals (latest 10 years for fine arts journals) with a current subscription supporting departments on the SGW (downtown) campus

Vanier Library:

• Journals with a current subscription supporting departments on the Loyola campus
• All other bound volumes from the Concordia Libraries’ print journal collection

Access to journals:

• Visit the library and browse our journal collection any time the Libraries are open
• Use the Library's Article Delivery service to get an article from our print or microform collection by e-mail