It means that the US Green Buildings Council (USGBC) recognizes that we've incorporated a lot of green construction and operations in the building, including:

• Increasing the use of natural lighting to reduce energy consumption
• Using energy efficient lighting with sensors in the teaching and study spaces
• Establishing sustainable cleaning and landscape programs
• Running efficient HVAC systems with CO2 monitoring
• Conducting waste stream audits to benchmark recycling programs and identify opportunities to maximize material conservation
• Reusing marble from Gilman and Shriver for the new beach stairs and south entrance

What's even more exciting is that we're the first building on campus to achieve this distinction!

But we're not ones to rest on our laurels. We'd love to hear your thoughts on how the Brody's working. Click here to tell us your thoughts on the temperature, lights, and other aspects of the building. The survey is open until midnight, May 14. As an incentive to participate, there will be a random drawing at the end for three $25 Daily Grind gift certificates.

General cleaning on every floor included vacuuming the floors, dusting and wiping clean the wrought iron railings, washing the windows, washing all the flat surfaces, replacing the old light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs, and picking up odd bits and pieces of stuff that somehow get misplaced over time.

In addition to the general cleaning, we started the long, slow, laborious process of vacuuming and cleaning every book. While we were only able to complete one floor of cleaning each individual book, we have plans to continue the work.

How many cleaners can you count?

The next time you are down at the Peabody Library you might just notice a little more shine on this historic gem. The Peabody Library is open Tuesday - Thursday 9:00-5:00 and Friday 9:00-3:00.

BLC directory

There are very few signs in the Brody Learning Commons. Areas are named and rooms are numbered. There is a space directory that is being edited for accuracy. Level identification is still under review and many folks have expressed an opinion about this.

But we don’t have signs about the rules. There aren’t any messages about cell phone use--it is permitted in every part of the BLC.

There are no messages about food. The no food policy remains in place, and students who forget are asked to put their comestibles away for another time.

We no longer remind library users that shirts and shoes are required (still generally preferred!).

New, elegant signage

We are adding signage as necessary but each sign that goes up is considered in the overall scheme of a clean, light filled space and, like jewelry, it is better to subtract than add too much.

MSEL Lockers

When you have a very long study session and need to take a meal break, a locker can be your best friend. But not all lockers are created equal. If you're trying to decide where to store your stuff, here's a quick overview of the different styles we offer.

Carrel Lockers
A student can request assignment of a locker from his academic department administrator. If available, this locker, located in MSEL, can be used for the current school year. Pick up your key at the Facilities & Support Services Office on A-level.

BLC Lockers

MSEL Lockers
A J-Card holder can check out a key for MSEL lockers at the Circulation Desk and use them for 3 days with one renewal. They are located on the south end of B-level, very near the entrance to the Brody Learning Commons.

BLC Lockers
There are 100 new lockers in the BLC, 20 on each floor, in the central core of the new building near the elevator. These lockers are self-assigned and available to any library user. They are 24 hour use and opened and emptied every morning at 6:00 AM. There is even an electrical outlet in each of these lockers! And if you forgot your phone and laptop chargers at home, borrow one of ours from Circ.

So don't forget to safely stash your backpack, laptop, textbooks and other valuables into a locker before you leave for coffee or class.

And so it went throughout the day as students, faculty, and others slowly made their way into this new space. However, I bet there are a few things you would like to know about the space. So here are a few answers to some questions that have come up that may help you use the space more productively.

1. Where are the computers? Well, we have very robust wireless in the BLC, but if you need a computer they are still in MSEL.
2. Can I still reserve a group study? Yes, we are using the same Group Study reservation system that is currently in place. One thing that is new in the BLC group study rooms is that you need your JCard to access them.
3. Is that big light filled Reading Room really QUIET? We sure hope so. Quiet study space is one of the things students always request. We're asking that everyone helps ensure the space remains quiet.
4. Looks like there is a lot of technology in the space, how do I use it? We think most of it will be pretty self explanatory, but there will be IT help available from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m, M-F. In addition, during the first 6 weeks the library will have staff available from 10-11 a.m, 1-2 p.m., and 4-5 p.m. to answer questions. They will be wearing the ASK ME buttons.
5. I noticed a lot of lockers, can I check one out? The BLC has 100 lockers for DAY USE that have self generated codes for locking. What is really great about these lockers is that there are electrical plugs in all of them so you can recharge your laptop, phone, or whatever while you go get a bite to eat. Just remember to clear them out by 6 a.m.

Want to learn more? Come to the Student Opening on Thursday, September 6 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Have more questions? Keep reading this space or ask a librarian.

Image courtesy of Mark Dion. Click to enlarge.

What do netsukes, skulls, globes, portable pianos and lab equipment have in common? They are soon to be part of an art installation in the Brody Learning Commons designed by noted artist and curator Mark Dion. Building on the theme of the Wunderkammer, or wonder-room, Dion describes his installation as "an archaeology of the material culture of knowledge--a microcosm of the university's collections."

Dion has worked closely with Jackie O'Regan, Curator of Cultural Properties, to identify artifacts from across all of Hopkins--Homewood, Peabody, the medical institutions, and SAIS--which will reflect the varied and interdisciplinary research that takes place at JHU.

Want to learn more? Check out these books on Dion and his exhibits, a PBS feature on his work from 2007, or these items on Wunderkammer.

Special Collections has always had a strong presence in the Eisenhower Library. During the current building's planning stages, a February 20, 1959 press release touted that "Special provisions will be made for the University's collection of rare books which are now scattered in a number of locations." When MSEL opened, Special Collection was indeed a jewel in its crown, with exhibit space for the rare and valuable materials set aside on M-Level--right where our General Reference Collection is now. Over the years, as the building underwent various renovations, the department moved to is present location on A-Level, where it was much less visible.

Enter the BLC. Special Collections will have a new, larger, brighter reading room (not to worry--we will control UV light), a special seminar room named after long-time professor, Richard Macksey, which will also house his extensive book collection, which he is generously donating to the library; and a video monitor highlighting lots of our most exciting collections.  We have research materials to support all kinds of topics, so plan to stop by to learn more. And keep an eye on the blog for next next installment of "Who's in Brody" to hear about our plans for Conservation and Preservation.

Much like today, the architects were challenged to replace a library (in Gilman Hall) that students interviewed by the News-Letter in 1960 described as "deplorable...monstrously crowded...full almost to the point of overflowing...archaic...disgusting... [and] hardly conducive to efficiency" (News-Letter, October 21, 1960).

When the MSEL opened in 1964, it contained a cutting-edge computing center (above left) featuring the latest in IBM mainframe technology. The two IBM 1401 mainframes were connected to APL and the Welch Medical Library, launching a history of collaboration with our library colleagues that continues to this day.

What about the people side? I think we'd all agree that MSEL is less than user-friendly. But really, condemning us to life underground truly was not the architects' intent. When it opened, the Baltimore Sun noted the clever way the architects introduced light through the south-end windows, and provided living-room like sofas and chairs in the lounge areas. An earlier Sun journalist described during the design phase that "Color will be used on wall surfaces and books sacks and furniture along with good fluorescent lighting to brighten up the area where no natural light will penetrate" (July 22, 1962).

As time went on, we became victims of our own success. We definitely became the heart of the campus, but the comfy lounge areas gave way to study carrels made necessary by growing student enrollment, and the "good fluorescent lighting" never really met expectations. The time had come to find a way to return to our original intentions. And thus the path to Brody began.

If you've been here all summer, you've no doubt seen (and heard) the construction progress on the Brody Learning Commons. However, if you're new to Johns Hopkins or just back after spending the summer months away, here some things to keep in mind:

The Brody Learning Commons is a new library facility and will connect on all levels to the MSE Library. The four-story building will feature flexible group and individual study areas, interactive media rooms, a 100-seat quiet reading room, and a new 75-seat café. The commons will increase the library’s seating capacity by a third—adding more than 500 new seats—and will be completely wireless-enabled.

Work on the site typically occurs from 7 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. This work will continue for the next year, with the building scheduled to open in July 2012, well in time for the 2012-2013 academic year.

If you are looking for a quiet(er) study space during the times listed above, don't forget the Hutzler Reading Room in Gilman Hall.

Stay tuned via this blog or the BLC blog for features on the construction and images from the project, as well as information about important milestones and initiatives. This information will also be posted to the Libraries' Twitter feed (@mselibrary) and Facebook page, as well as through notices in Today’s Announcements. We will also be posting information on signs in the MSEL and providing project updates or reminders via articles in the JHU Gazette. And, of course, you can always ask a staff member for information.

Questions, comments, or suggestions concerning the construction can be sent to asklib@jhu.edu

Thanks, as always, for your patience during this process, and welcome back!

The drilling is part of the work being done on the south patio, which is closed for the summer so that workers can add new roofing, railings, pavers, and new seating for the area between the Brody Learning Commons and the Eisenhower Library.

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your continued patience.