News Archive

The newly refurbished EDFAA Library opened on 23 February 2012 – almost two years after the March, 2010 storm which flooded the library and destroyed 15 per cent of the EDFAA collection.

Although the damage and disruption to the library was extensive, Acting Library Manager, Gina Sjepcevich said that,

“The refurbishment of the EDFAA Library following the flood has provided an opportunity to create a new library with many new features. Those who remember the old library will recall that its interior was a bit tired and lacking in natural light. The new library has a new entrance with glass reaching up two floors creating a new light-filled space. There is more seating and a greater variety of spaces. There are areas for quiet individual work as well as collaborative work. There are four group study rooms, each equipped with multimedia equipment including electronic whiteboards and webcams. There are twice as many PCs as there were in the old Library.”

“Work on the collections has been continuing with items purchased just before the flood being replaced along with high use items and reserve items. The rest of our efforts are focused on replacing unique items and particular subject areas, including some new ones. The curriculum collection is being updated and will include more 3D items.”

Perhaps most appealing to library users will be the new checkout system installed in the EDFAA Library. This system allows multiple items to be scanned simultaneously during check-out and check-in. Items can also be renewed from the self-check kiosks and print-outs of loan items, issued. The system is called RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology and an RFID tag has been placed in each of the 50,000 items in the Library. There is a self-check machine in the reserve area where items are held ready for collection.

Library users can now collect and borrow their ‘on hold’ and reserve items and return reserve items themselves.

The Official Opening of the library by the Hon Dr Elizabeth Constable MLA, and Vice-Chancellor, Winthrop Professor Paul Johnson took place on Friday 23 March.