Library Update

Dear Scripps Community,

As most of you are aware, in early 2011, in response to continuing budget cuts, the UC San Diego Libraries initiated a consolidation process that will soon result in four physical library locations.  These efforts are similar to consolidations undertaken by many of our peer institutions. The four library locations, which will be available to members of the Scripps community, include the Geisel Library, the Biomedical Library, the Trade Street storage annex, and the Scripps Archives and Library Annex.

The newly named “Scripps Archives and Library Annex”, housed in the Eckart building on the Scripps campus, will be operated jointly by Scripps and the UC San Diego Libraries. The Libraries will continue to provide access to the Scripps Archives, by appointment, for all campus and off-campus users. The Scripps Library Annex will soon house accessible student course materials and—after minor renovation—will serve as the pick-up point for library materials delivered from the other campus library sites. Temporarily, these services will be provided in the Old Scripps Building (OSB)/Scripps Department (starting approximately July 1, 2012) until the UCSD Libraries staff can vacate space on the first and second floors of the Eckart building and any minor modifications to the space can be completed by Scripps. The large-scale printer utilized by Scripps students also will be relocated temporarily to the OSB, with support/access provided by the Scripps Department.

The first and second floors of the Eckart building will then provide approximately 18,000 square feet of study and meeting space for students, as well as space to support expanding instructional and research programs at Scripps. The third floor of the Eckart building will be managed by the UCSD Libraries and will provide archive and special collection services for Scripps. The Archives at Scripps house a wide range of historic materials about Scripps and UC San Diego and will continue to be accessible by appointment, M-F, 9-5.

The timeline for these changes—attached below—remains tentative as planning and discussions among the Libraries, Scripps faculty, and students continue. We appreciate your many constructive suggestions over the last 11 months, and your ongoing interest in the library services that are so vital to the education and research missions of Scripps. The Libraries’ Amy Butros will provide regular updates to the community as the timeline below unfolds.

Tony Haymet          Brian E. C. Schottlaender
SIO Director          The Audrey Geisel University Librarian

Tentative timeline:

• June 29, 2012 – Public access to Scripps Library transitions to Geisel Library   
• June 30, 2012 – Area on first floor north will be cleared of library furnishings 
• Scripps would like to start renovation of first floor by July 2, 2012 
• July 2, 2012 – Scripps Archives open to the public, M-F, 9-5, by appointment
• Beginning Mid-summer 2012 – Scripps journals begin to be relocated to Geisel Library
• Beginning Mid-summer 2012 – Relocation of all other Scripps collections except Archives begin
• October 2012 – OOI move into renovated spac
• Late 2012/early 2013 – Relocation of Scripps journals to Geisel complete
• Late 2012/early 2013 – Disposition and relocation of all Scripps collections, excluding Archives but including Hubbs and Map collections, complete
• Mid-to late 2013 – Libraries completely vacate first and second floors of Scripps Library building and transfer space to Scripp
• Fall 2013 – Scripps would begin any renovations deemed necessary to repurpose the space on the first and second floors
• Early 2014 – Scripps occupies space on the first and second floors.