re: New library for LSU

The BR Library on Goodwood cost $35m and was completed in 2015. It is gigantic and absolutely state of the art. Downtown library was $20m.

The Advocate today said they want $153m for the new LSU Library.

That seems absolutely ridiculous for a new library in a day when people dont actually use libraries. Tear down Middleton; but $153m is ridiculous.

I'd have been fat as frick if there was a City Pork in the Design Building when I was in school. I practically lived in that building for three years.

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That seems absolutely ridiculous for a new library in a day when people dont actually use libraries.

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Students use the campus library. And the new library isn't supposed to be just a library with stacks of books, it's supposed to be a multipurpose Student Center or Learning Center or something along those lines.

In the current library, there is one of the only general purpose computer labs on campus (two, really, because part is on the first floor and part is on the second floor). The primary tutoring center is in the library. One of the two large-size printing centers on campus is in the library. There are rooms that can be reserved for group projects, lecture practices, study groups, student meetings, and so on. There is open space for studying, relaxing, meeting up with people, or just chilling between classes. The stuff in Middleton is largely run down and non-competitive with what other universities have available, though.

The new library is supposed to have all of those things above and also incorporate some other things from around campus. Of course, without architectural designs, we can only speculate about what they would like to be in the new library. There was talk about moving the digital testing center from the basement of Himes Hall to the new library. There was talk about building in some general-purpose lecture halls and a reception area that could be used for hosting academic conferences and scholarship events. Those lecture halls could also reserved and would be available at times when the other academic buildings are locked up and not accessible. (Apparently the Math Lab, which is currently in Middleton, may not be in the new library... don't know where that would go since its old space in Pleasant Hall has something else there now.)

That is nasty af!

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New glory holes

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Modern one will have glory holes in the women’s bathrooms too.

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$3.25 million will go toward choosing an architect for the project.

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Seriously?

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$3.25 million will go toward choosing an architect for the project.


Seriously?

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The architects have to actually do the design before they get picked. It takes a *long* time, and I don't begrudge that part of the cost after working with some. You can't ask a firm to do designs for months with no pay. A lot of them are serious about architecture crap like "NO CUT BRICKS!"

They're doing their job, even if they don't win the bid, they need to be paid. If the state was great at it, they'd just do it themselves and hand the firm their marching orders.

Except the state isn't good at it. Hence, other people get paid.

Just when you think Robert Mann might finally have something good to say…..nope, he says it won’t happen

LINK

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The architects have to actually do the design before they get picked.

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I don’t think so.

The fact that this is supposedly being built near TS is a giant frick you to everyone constantly bitchin about the library’s condition while pointing out athletic facilities