Rosengarten renovations to up study space

The planned $2 million in changes include more computers and a cafe. The Rosengarten Reserve Room, currently one of the few 24-hour computer facilities open to all students, will undergo major renovations over the next several years that could make late-night studying a little less painful. Although Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Paul Mosher stressed that the project for the ground floor of Van Pelt Library is still in the "conceptual stage," preliminary plans have already been drawn by Library Facilities Project Manager David Mowl for the $2 million undertaking. Officials have thus far raised $1 million for the project through private donors. No timetable has been set for when the rest of the funding will be raised or when construction will begin. The new-and-improved Rosengarten would be equipped with six transparent but soundproof rooms for group study, a lounge with several couches and a "cybercafe," in addition to new carpeting, furnishings and computers. The addition of a cybercafe -- which will seat 40 to 50 students and be fully wired for laptop computers -- would allow students to take a study break without having to leave the library in search of food. The current faculty lounge and bathroom area will also be redone to make room for an outdoor seating area with four or five tables to be used by both students and library staff. "We kept hearing that students wanted a first-rate place to study that was adjacent to the materials they needed," Mosher said, admitting that the current facility has "all the charm of a Greyhound bus terminal." Associate Director of Library Public Services Patricia Renfro said library officials have already made attempts to separate the "quiet study" area behind the reserve books section from the more social space toward the front of the ground-floor facility. She added, however, that she hopes the renovations would better satisfy those looking for a quiet facility. Although the first floor of Van Pelt Library was renovated this summer, Mosher explained that the improvements still left many needs unmet. He said the major student-generated requests have been for a quiet, 24-hour facility that includes a place to "refuel." "I think a lot of the problem with Rosengarten is that it gets really loud," College freshman Lauren Plackter said. "If they have separate sections for socializing and group study, hopefully the other parts will be quieter." Most students agreed that they would find the cafe a convenient addition to the facility. "I like the idea of being able to get coffee without having to leave," said Engineering junior Kevin Dreyer, adding that the cafe would provide a good place for a study break.