One new site in each of the libraries will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide students with around-the-clock computer access and basic technical support.

The major renovation project, which will begin immediately following commencement, is being initiated by the University Libraries in collaboration with Computing and Information Technology (CIT). It will be funded by the student technology fee.

Rick Lesniak, director of academic services in CIT, said the addition of the new library sites is part of a major project to increase student access to computers in which a total of 405 new state-of-the art personal computers, which are 10 times faster than the university's present computers, will become available at public sites. The effort also will involve upgrading 11 existing computing labs on both campuses, including in residence halls.

Lesniak emphasized that the new computers will mark the debut at UB of public access to computers equipped with Windows NT (New Technology), one of the industry's most professional and powerful consumer-operating systems. Users will have access to e-mail, the Internet, resources on CD ROM, 100-megabit zip disks for storage, networked printing capabilities and document-preparation software, such as word-processing and spreadsheet programs.

Steve Roberts, associate director of university libraries, said the project will foster the use of information technology in the daily lives of students.

"The library sites will provide students with a more comfortable, diversified environment in close proximity to books and other library resources, rather than the elbow-to-elbow setting of computer labs," he said. "The project also will free up space in existing labs for classroom work and instruction."

It will include new furniture, carpeting, lighting and paint for the designated areas in the two libraries, both of which, according to Roberts, have not been renovated or refurbished since they were built more than 20 years ago.

"It will make UB more attractive and help in recruiting efforts because computers will be more visible on campus," he added.

Lesniak agreed. "The project," he said, "is an integration of conventional resource tools available in the libraries with new information-technology-age materials. It is more conducive to learning for students because all of these materials will be co-located."

According to Lesniak, the new sites also will help prepare UB for the possibility of a universal computer-access requirement that may be implemented as soon as Fall 1999, by serving as a "fall-back" for students who need to compute on campus or who cannot afford their own computer.

Karen Senglaup, director of general libraries access services, said, "the PC has become an integral component of the entire learning experience-what better place than libraries to have access to such a resource."

According to Senglaup, the south side of the UGL's first floor will be dramatically transformed from its current individual-carrel setting to a more spacious, aesthetically pleasing environment with approximately 50 computers and/or open ports interspersed throughout the study area.

She explained that the libraries are initiating a transition from the traditional "carrel concept" to an innovative, comfortable multi-media learning environment.

The south computing area and the UGL circulation desk will remain open after normal library hours to provide students with around-the-clock computer access and basic technical support, as well as the ability to check out reserve materials.

In Lockwood Library, a second 24-hour computing site will be constructed on the second floor across from the circulation desk in the current microform and newspaper section. The site, which will allow for individual and group work, also will include about 50 computers and/or open ports.

A third computing site in the Science and Engineering Library (SEL), located on the south side of UGL's third floor, will replace the area's existing UNIX terminals. The site, to be structured specifically for collaborative studying and group projects, will be accessible during normal library hours and will consist of approximately 40 computers and/or open ports.

CIT's existing computer lab in the SEL cannot accommodate the increased student demand for computing resources, especially with instructors' need for the lab in order to conduct classes, Roberts noted.

The fourth site, accessible during library hours, will be on Lockwood's third floor, where approximately 20 fully equipped individual computer workstations and 10 open ports will replace the existing wooden carrels that line the windows facing the library's atrium.

Margaret Wells, director of the UGL, noted that University Facilities will be involved in the physical construction and equip the areas with networked wiring over the summer.

Wells, who is initiating development of instructional training programs for the sites, said the plan includes two help centers, one in each library, where professionals will be available during working hours to provide one-on-one consultation and hands-on assistance for students with computing problems and questions.

"We will try to provide a variety of services, which include different types of help-such as on-line help and paper handouts-since we realize each student learns differently," said Wells. "Our goal is to also offer a full series of on-going, weekly workshops for students to learn about the World Wide Web, BISON, Netscape and Microsoft Office."