Modern Ryan Library by Iona College

Continuing leadership in educational technology, will dedicate the Iona College on Saturday, October 17, which was redesigned and developed by Ryan Library, one of college’s most advanced libraries in the nation and one worthy of a private college of national rankings. The $ 14 million project – a fully paid for by funds donated by private donors and grants from the Kresge Foundation and the Booth Ferris Foundation – representing the sweeping renovation of the college’s 60-year major libraries and has established a new center of ideas, information and culture on campus .

This is the latest part of a master plan that Iona College has been conducting since 1995 to strengthen the quality of infrastructure and programs. A successful capital campaign of $ 100 million to produce a new residence hall, student center, an athletic center and new library was officially on display today to lecture officials, advocates, community leaders, alumni and others as part of the Iona College’s Homecoming and Family Weekend.

Brother James A. Liguori, CFC, Iona College president, said: “We do not just celebrate an important milestone in the history of our university, but the individuals who allow Ryan Library to remain a center of academic life an absolute classic at Iona College for years to come. Thank thanks to those who give generously and expertise, vision and commitment of project team members, the new Ryan Library is more than meets Excellence capital campaign we announced a vision for this library three years ago. “He added:” They left a lasting legacy for the pursuit of excellence academic at Iona College. ”

Among those who attended the October 17 ceremony will be part of the largest donors to the campaign to raise funds for library projects including the Alice Marie and Thomas E. Hales (’58) of Briarcliff Manor, Retired Chairman and CEO, Union State Bank; Patrick J. Lynch (’59) Sea Girt, NJ and Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Retired Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Texaco and Mary Catherine and Raymond J. Reisert, Jr. (’63) from the Kitty Hawk, NC, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PW Funding, Inc.

The 63,800 square feet, three floors Ryan Library is approximately 15,800 square feet larger than the previous library and is equipped with technologically advanced facilities and an inviting design to better serve students and alumni of 4300. This is the result of four years of intensive research and input from hundreds of students and faculty.

Since opening at the beginning of fall semester, Ryan Library has received a warm welcome from students who have succeeded in their preferred destination to study. “We are personally pleased to see students use the library in a way that we imagine it happened,” said Joanne Steele (’87), Iona College pioneered the Vice Provost revamping the library.

Reconfigure the library is the marriage of science and technology that offers both individual students quietly studying and working groups / field of study. Boasts 104-dual-booting iMac workstations, network printers and scanners, a knowledgeable staff of reference librarians and technical support available seven days a week and access to more than 80 electronic research data base of over 15,000 journal and newspaper titles, the collection print consists of approximately 250,000 books and 700 hard-copy journals and newspapers and cafe offers drinks to help break the long study hours.

In addition, inviting interior with a well-lit, open space. One design consideration is to make the library a visually prominent structure seen by visitors and pedestrians approaching the entrance to the main campus on North Avenue. Brother Liguori is recommended for architects Anthony Pucillo in New Rochelle, that this is done by changing the location of a new entrance to the library to deal with North Street which runs parallel to the surrounding campus.

Earlier, a group of aging storefronts in front of the library on North Avenue, but was eventually destroyed, providing an opportunity to display the library draw new library design that maintains the original Georgian style. “When I submit a sketch showing how the library will appear as designed to deal with North Avenue, Brother Liguori said,” let us go, ‘ “recalled Pucillo who has designed all the new buildings recently at Iona.” It was the first and the only time in more than 40 years of his career that the client had agreed to the concept based on the concept of a single image. ”

The attractiveness of the front door was also improved with the addition of small gardens with grass, shrubs, trees and benches to relax.

The process of creating a library of the 21st century began in 2001 when Iona is one of the first universities in the country to install a completely wireless network and, in 2007, it introduced dual 55 iMacs running Windows and MAC OS with Internet access and resources The main journal of electronic resources in all academic disciplines.

A Carnegie Mellon receives grant university four years ago allowed Ms. Steele and Rick Palladino (’76), College Library Director, to tour colleges and libraries in the northeast and at Emory University in Georgia to learn and see first hand what college Other leading do to develop new approaches to providing library services. “We spoke with hundreds of students at Iona for their attitudes toward libraries and how the ancient institution to a user-friendly and relevant to them,” said Ms. Steele.

In addition, the library and information technology staff are integrated as a team that works together to move the Ryan Library into the digital age. As a result of that integration, library staff not only help students navigate through the data base when they were doing research but also to answer technical questions. In addition, staff conduct ongoing training of faculty members in the use of technology.

Open seven days a week with extended evening hours, Ryan’s library boasts an extensive team of nine full-time and five part-time librarian and two dozen full-time and seven part-time support person.

“The role of college librarians in the digital era is even more important than in the library was a generation ago when all the source material can be found on the library shelves,” said Palladino. He added: “With so much information on the Internet, the college librarian is a search engine research that can guide students to discover and validate the source material for research projects on them.”

The enthusiasm for the new library has been measured with a significant spike in usage since the new semester begins. In the past Ryan Library average between 750-1000 visitors during normal working days. Who has risen to more than 1,200 who Palladino hoping to improve as the semester progress.

Taking advantage of the college wireless network, students can also access 24 / 7 library databases from their homes or anywhere else on campus. In addition, college websites, www.iona.edu, provides links to a database for students who want to study long-distance.

However, despite technological advances that are characteristic of new library Iona College, a time traveler who studied at the Ancient Library of Alexandria a few thousand years ago would be very comfortable in the library can choose Ryan because of the large print book collection and find a quiet corner to turn pages and learning.

Founded in 1940 by the Edmund Rice Congregation of Christian Brothers, Iona College is a private, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of American Catholic higher education. Iona – are currently enrolled in a level of U.S. News and World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges 2010; The Princeton Review’s Best Northeastern Colleges 2010 edition, and Business Week’s Top 25 Undergraduate Business Schools in the Northeast – offers a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, science, and business administration, and a Master of Arts, Master of Science degree and a master’s of business administration degree and post-graduate certificate programs.

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