Interior rennovations to 3rd floor of Hillman Library

[CrazyPaco]

Before:

Barely recognizable after...

This last image is of a new Text & conText Lab on the third floor of Hillman Library features a working vintage Vandercook SP-15 letterpress. The lab is meant for creating and exploring typography and fonts, printing and bookbinding techniques as a complement to the examples of book production and printing in Pitt’s archives and special collections.

 

[H2PisIT]

where are the books?

 

[OaklandPanther139]

I guess this is supposed to be impressive. I’m rather unimpressed. It’s lipstick on a pig, especially given cost.

 

[Dan1911]

I like its use of negative space.

 

[HailtoPitt]

I used to spend hours camped at those windows in Hillman until I heard the security guard come around to announce in his booming voice "the library is closing".

I'm not a fan of chairs without armrests. Those new ones look uncomfortable.

 

[CrazyPaco]

where are the books?

Some are moved elsewhere in Hillman (depending on use), but many were moved to the Library's high density and archival center on Thomas Boulevard (they can be requested from there).

 

[TFBaum]

Before:

Barely recognizable after...

This last image is of a new Text & conText Lab on the third floor of Hillman Library features a working vintage Vandercook SP-15 letterpress. The lab is meant for creating and exploring typography and fonts, printing and bookbinding techniques as a complement to the examples of book production and printing in Pitt’s archives and special collections.

I think it looks great. Do some people on this board like anything?

 

[Saboteur]

I guess this is supposed to be impressive. I’m rather unimpressed. It’s lipstick on a pig, especially given cost.

Maybe some people like pigs.

 

[JED_72]

Before:

Barely recognizable after...

This last image is of a new Text & conText Lab on the third floor of Hillman Library features a working vintage Vandercook SP-15 letterpress. The lab is meant for creating and exploring typography and fonts, printing and bookbinding techniques as a complement to the examples of book production and printing in Pitt’s archives and special collections.

Thanks for the update. But, what did they do with the open stacks? Someone in the thread mentioned another location . . where? Last year when Temple closed the Paley Library, it's replacement is almost an entirely without stacks. I understand the space saving and and security factors, but what about browsing? Are there still open stacks at Hillman? (I haven't been above the ground floor in about 3 years).

 

[CrazyPaco]

Thanks for the update. But, what did they do with the open stacks? Someone in the thread mentioned another location . . where? Last year when Temple closed the Paley Library, it's replacement is almost an entirely without stacks. I understand the space saving and and security factors, but what about browsing? Are there still open stacks at Hillman? (I haven't been above the ground floor in about 3 years).

Yes, there are still open stacks, but they've moved books that are low in circulation (and from what I understand meaning not checked out in years) to the Thomas Boulevard high density facility. They can be requested and received same day or in one day.

 

[CrazyPaco]

I think it looks great. Do some people on this board like anything?

I don't know if it looks great, but is is way different. They did floor 4 the year prior. Next up are floor 1 & 2 and Ground. They are planning a major overhaul.

I hope they repurpose all the existing wood somewhere, and keep the special interiors of the Latin American Reading Room and Irvis Reading Room.

 

[DruidTM]

Back when I was in my first term at Pitt I commuted in with my Dad who was a professor at Pitt... I would go straight to Hillman to get caught up on reading etc and sometimes take naps. Miss my Dad for sure and kind of miss those mornings at Hillman looking back now.

 

[JED_72]

Yes, there are still open stacks, but they've moved books that are low in circulation (and from what I understand meaning not checked out in years) to the Thomas Boulevard high density facility. They can be requested and received same day or in one day.

Hello again: While we all know this is a sports message board, I appreciate the added Pitt info that you take time to post. For some reason, I've been of the impression you are not at Pitt. If that is correct where are you (if you are willing to say) or how do you have the non athletic Pitt info you provide?

 

[pittchagg]

This is a nice renovation. Hillman had really fallen behind libraries at Pitt’s peer schools, so this is a needed upgrade and refresh.

Paco is right that the library analyzed every book in Pitt’s collection; every book that was on the stacks that either (a) was published before 2010 and has never been rented out, (b) was published before 2005 and has not been rented since 2005, or (c) was published before 2005 and has only been rented out two or fewer times, were all moved to the off-site, climate-controlled storage facility in Point Breeze. Same with a bunch of the old reference materials, journals, microfiche, and maps that haven’t been accessed in a similar timeframe. It’s all still accessible and searchable in the library’s catalog, and they have trucks going from Hillman to the facility a few times a day.

This project, when it’s finally completed, will dovetail nicely with the planned “Academic Success Center,” which will connect Hillman and Lawrence Hall in what’s currently the little plaza/truck access ramp on Forbes. I’m pretty sure the plans for that building are to be for tutoring, career services, student clubs, and other similar services to be right on Forbes connected to Hillman and Lawrence (and by proxy, Posvar and Litchfield Towers).

 

[ERICCARTMAN]

The existing library is located in a very prominent location of the Oakland campus. It was a mistake not to have constructed an entirely new structure.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Opening up Hillman will make it look so much brighter and modern. I did not like the way it was all cut up and dark with no natural light in the interior.

Thanks for keeping us up on this Paco!

I don't know if it looks great, but is is way different. They did floor 4 the year prior. Next up are floor 1 & 2 and Ground. They are planning a major overhaul.

I hope they repurpose all the existing wood somewhere, and keep the special interiors of the Latin American Reading Room and Irvis Reading Room.

 

[HopeandChangeforAntoons]

I guess this is supposed to be impressive. I’m rather unimpressed. It’s lipstick on a pig, especially given cost.

When looking at architecture try to visualize the buildings as a whole, in their natural state... in their totalitarianism.

 

[TFBaum]

I don't know if it looks great, but is is way different. They did floor 4 the year prior. Next up are floor 1 & 2 and Ground. They are planning a major overhaul.

I hope they repurpose all the existing wood somewhere, and keep the special interiors of the Latin American Reading Room and Irvis Reading Room.

With schools being basically shut down due to CoVid I guess you could look at this as a silver lining, they can get the work due uninterrupted.

 

[pittchagg]

With schools being basically shut down due to CoVid I guess you could look at this as a silver lining, they can get the work due uninterrupted.

On the flip side, for a few months in the spring most construction projects were put on hold. Then by the time you got to summer and the construction holds were lifted, most students are gone anyway. I know they’ve had to scramble to get the Bigelow Blvd. project back on schedule because they lost a month or two of work in the spring.

 

[Saboteur]

Opening up Hillman will make it look so much brighter and modern. I did not like the way it was all cut up and dark with no natural light in the interior.

Thanks for keeping us up on this Paco!

What? No rock climbing wall!

 

[CrazyPaco]

What? No rock climbing wall!

That's coming to O'Hara St (where the OH garage and LRDC currently stand...

 

[CrazyPaco]

Hello again: While we all know this is a sports message board, I appreciate the added Pitt info that you take time to post. For some reason, I've been of the impression you are not at Pitt. If that is correct where are you (if you are willing to say) or how do you have the non athletic Pitt info you provide?

No, I have not lived in Pittsburgh for a long time. I know some people in the university, get back as often as I can, but also regularly stay on top of things through various on-line channels: University Times, Pitt News, press releases, reddit, etc.

 

[CrazyPaco]

BTW, speaking of interior renovation, parts of Posvar are unrecognizable as well.

This is the ground floor lobby, just inside Schenley Plaza facing entrance.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

BTW, speaking of interior renovation, parts of Posvar are unrecognizable as well.

This is the ground floor lobby, just inside Schenley Plaza facing entrance.

If you told me that picture was taken in 1967, I'd believe you.

 

[cease10]

If you told me that picture was taken in 1967, I'd believe you.

Lol....reminds me of the Brady Bunch house for some reason.

 

[Cavalier Panther]

The exterior is going to be hideous no matter what, but it's good they're updating the inside. It's nice to see a a renovation that updates the space to how libraries are used. It mirrors the way, for instance, law firm libraries have been shrinking and retooling for 30 years now.

 

[HailtoPitt]

BTW, speaking of interior renovation, parts of Posvar are unrecognizable as well.

This is the ground floor lobby, just inside Schenley Plaza facing entrance.

Killer death spikes still hanging from the ceiling?