Roads and sidewalks aren't the only places on campus experiencing construction this summer — every floor and both wings of the Main Library are experiencing a makeover.

But despite the caution tape and movement of reference materials, the library has continued to stay open.

Construction started the day after spring finals and is scheduled to be finished for the fall, facilities manager Jim Hensley said. The challenge, he said, is making sure projects are done back-to-back so no days are wasted, while keeping services and materials available to students and faculty at all times.

"We have more projects going on this summer than probably the last 10 years," Hensley said.

From new carpeting and furniture to new group project areas, the library staff is hoping the changes will attract more students.

"We're trying to promote new ways for students working together," said Faye Backie, the Main Library's associate director for Public Services. "We know they do, but we want to make it more available and comfortable for them."

To do this, the reference desk will be relocated to where the circulation and information desks once stood. The circulation and information desks will be diagonal to the reference desk, so all three are visible to students when entering the main doors.

"The more visible our reference service will be, the more likely students will stop and ask a question," Backie said. "Our young students have great confidence in Web searching, but the Web alone won't get them what they need."

Hensley said moving the reference area to a more central location should allow students and faculty to access librarians faster.

The most drastic change students will see, Backie and Hensley said, is a collaborative learning area located next to the reference desk. It will feature more contemporary furniture, rather than the traditional wooden tables and chairs. Students can also move the furniture and use portable screens to separate study groups.

Librarian Emily Barton described it as a "comfortable space where people can work that's nontraditional for the library, keeping with the times."

The collaborative learning environment is one of four being added to the library. The other three include two computer labs and a presentation room.

"We are always looking to improve amenities to make available to staff and students," Hensley said.

The two study rooms located next to the Copy Center will become computer labs, allowing students to work on projects and produce materials for them on the spot.

A screen students can draw on and audio and video recording devices will be the highlight of the presentation room, Backie said, and will be beneficial to students preparing for interviews and presentations.

"We want to see how students react to these areas and what their recommendations are," Backie said.

Moving books from stationary bookshelves to computerized stacks is another time-consuming endeavor, Hensley said.

The number of books that can be stored in a computerized stack is significantly higher than on regular bookshelves, he said — about a 50 percent gain in capacity. Books can be accessed at the push of a button, causing shelves to slide along grooves in the floor to open aisles.

As the campus' largest computer lab, Hensley said it is essential to keep adding computers to the library. This year, there will be 450 new computers as well as upgrades to older machines.