Published: July 22, 2008 10:49 am         

The Big Move

Big library move scheduled to begin at Allegany College

CUMBERLAND - The big move is about to begin -Allegany College of Maryland personnel have been busy boxing up books to move into the newly renovated library building.

"Right now, we are putting all the books in the temporary library in the Allied Health Building into large wooden boxes so all the shelves can be moved into the new building," said Robert Baldwin, ACM director of learning resources.

The temporary library closed Friday, and Baldwin hopes to have the new library operational by Aug. 25, the first day of the fall semester.

More than 55,000 library items have to be moved.

"The library staff are extremely excited about moving into this wonderful, state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facility," said Baldwin.

The $4 million renovation and addition project began in July 2007. The majority of the work was completed this month, and contractors are now working on the finishing touches, said Mona Clites, dean of administrative services at ACM.

The 25,000-square-foot building will be heated and cooled with a new geothermal system; in the winter, the system transfers heat from the ground into the building, and in the summer, the heat is transferred back into the ground.

Sixty 300-foot geothermal wells were drilled in the track area; the interior track is now open, and the fields will be ready for fall sports, according to Clites.

The 6,000-square-foot library addition will provide space for a computer lab, the college's Appalachian collection and expansion of the board room.

The Genealogical Society of Allegany County will also have an office in the new library.

"I think that is definitely a win-win situation," Baldwin said of the society's move to the library.

Lashley Construction of Frostburg was the main contractor for the project, and Wayne's Water 'N Wells of Oakland dug the geothermal wells.

Contact Jennifer Raley at jraley@times-news.com.