Morris Library’s south sidewalk to close next week

By Gus Bode

Heather Lapham said she is excited to use the north sidewalk at Morris Library, even if it only lasts a week.

“It’s excellent. I’m in the north end of Faner {Hall}, so I used to cut straight into the front on that side,” said Lapham, an associate professor of anthropology.

Construction to replace the sidewalk at the library’s south side, which runs along Thompson Woods, is slated to begin Monday and will last a week, Dean of Library Affairs David Carlson said.

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While the south sidewalk is under construction, the new sidewalk on the north side of the building will be opened, Carlson said.

“It probably won’t take a week, probably four days,” Carlson said. “If he finishes early, we’ll certainly open it back up earlier.”

He said the north sidewalk would be closed again after the south sidewalk is complete so construction on the two-tiered, cascading water feature can be completed without endangering students.

“We had hoped that we would then be able to keep access to the north side open, but unfortunately, the contractor couldn’t agree to this,” Carlson said.

The $58 million library renovation project, which began February 2006, is slated to be done by mid-January.

“The contractor has really made excellent progress the last two to three months,” Carlson said. “This is a good sign.”

Lapham said she is looking forward to next semester when she can use the route permanently.

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“Anything besides hiking through the dirt on the west side,” Lapham said.

Kevin Krebbs, a senior from New York studying journalism, said the small inconvenience is worth seeing the library closer to completion.

“It’s a small campus,” Krebbs said. “If you look around, a lot of people need a little exercise anyway.”

Brandy Oxford can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 255 or [email protected]

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