4/18/97 Contact: Anita Grant, Ohio University, 614/593-2694

ATHENS, Ohio -- The Ohio University Libraries will host an opening reception for the public Thursday (April 24) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at its new annex location, 205 Columbus Road.

The Ohio University Library Annex was funded by the Ohio Board of Regents as the Southeastern Ohio Regional Library Depository. It is a high-density shelving facility that alleviates space constraints in Alden Library on the Athens campus.

The reception will allow patrons to tour the two-story refurbished building, which is in operation and is in the final stages of completion. Beginning at 2:45 p.m. Thursday, a shuttle will leave every 15 minutes from Alden Library's Park Place entrance to take visitors to the annex.

The state of Ohio committed $1.9 million for the refurbishment of a former auto dealership into the 32,000-square-foot annex facility. Phase I and II of the project are complete, and Phase III renovations to create storage, equip the second floor and work on the exterior are in progress.

Current materials stored at the annex include low-use books and journals, duplicate copies, archives, manuscripts and fragile items in need of special handling. Book storage areas at the annex eventually will hold 900,000 volumes, and records storage will contain more than 20,000 boxes. The annex also includes space for processing and lending and a reading room equipped with study tables and carrels for 12 readers. An ALICE terminal and copy machine are available for patron use.

The library's preservation, microfilming and scanning departments eventually will move to the annex building to make way for more public areas in Alden Library.

The target date for the permanent annex opening is Monday (April 28). Checkout and services at the annex will be available on a limited basis. Most items should be requested and checked out at Alden Library. Once it is open to the public, appointments to go to the annex will have to be made 24 hours in advance to allow the staff to have materials ready for users when they arrive.