Program Confirmation

The Hillier Group was asked to begin the Health Sciences Library project by evaluating potential revisions to the original program to reduce its size so that construction cost would not exceed the University’s $18,000,000 budget. We estimated that the original Davis Brody Bond program for 97,045 net assignable sq. ft. would require construction of a new building with a gross area of approximately 135,000-sq. ft. We believe a building of this size would exceed the University’s budget by at least $6,000,000.00. We see our target for new construction falling somewhere between 80,000 and 85,000 gross sq. ft. This translates to an assignable area of 56,400 net sq. ft. to 60,000 net sq. ft.

After reviewing the original program document and meeting with the University’s project manager, we gathered programs for a few Health Sciences libraries that were recently or soon to be constructed. We obtained a copy of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Library Directors "Annual Statistics of Medical School Libraries in the United States and Canada" as a Benchmarking reference source. We also did an Internet search to obtain additional information.

Benchmarking Analysis

The Annette & Irwin Eskind Biomedical Library
Vanderbilt Medical Center

Area – 77,000 GSF (in four floor levels)
Collections – 205,757 volumes total, including 68,657 monograph titles
Seating – (not available)
Staff FTE – 40.18: 2 professional; 24.6 paraprofessional;3.58 student assistants Patron Population – (not available)
Use Statistics – 166,485 gate, 28,222 reference, 445,517 circulation

Comments – This is a new facility designed by Davis, Brody & Associates, the firm that helped prepare Howard University’s program. The 1^st floor includes the Circulation and Document Delivery Service; Reference; Information & Education Services; Recent Journals; New Books;and shared computer workstations. The 2^nd floor includes Journals and reading areas and group studies, Administration and Technical Services. The 3rd Floor includes Book Collections and reading areas, group study, Historical Collection and a 20 seat conference room. The 4th floor is dedicated to the Informatics Center, Division of Biomedical Informatics and the Active Digital Library.

The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library
University of Virginia Health Sciences Center

Area – 69,436 GSF (in three floor levels)
Collections – 191,200 volumes total, including 59,697 monograph titles
Seating – 401 (including 110 at computer workstations)
Staff FTE – 48.83: 16.1 professional; 28 paraprofessional; 4.73 student assistants
Patron Population – (not available)
Use Statistics – 351,375 gate; 60,115 reference; 298,936 circulation

Comments – This facility will go through major renovation and a 7,171 GSF addition this summer. Important technology related goals include exploring how library knowledge-based resources will link to a new clinical information system; mechanisms to support adding images to its database using standardized formats such as MARC and UMLS. The ground floor holds Historical Collections, Lecture space, Collection Processing & Cataloging; the 1^st floor includes Electronic Classrooms, Multipurpose Workstations, Group Study Rooms, Book Collections, and Reading Areas. The Main Entry Floor includes the Service Desks, Multipurpose Workstations, Group Studies, Journal Collections, Staff Offices and Reading Rooms.

The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library
Emory University

Area – (not available) (in two floor levels)
Collections – 216,129 volumes total, including 61,458 monograph titles
Seating – (not available)
Staff FTE – 46.86: 15.88 professional; 24.9 paraprofessional; 6.09 student assistants
Patron Population – (not available)
Use Statistics – 301,107 gate, 30,727 reference, 178,508 circulation

Comments – As noted above, the library is currently planning to introduce an Informatics program. The 1^st floor houses the Circulation and Reference Desks, New Books, Current Periodicals and Bound Journals from 1986-1998, Cataloging, Collections Management and Administration Offices. The 2^nd floor includes Bound Journals from 1960-1985, Inter-Library Loan, Books, a Special Collection Room and Historical Collection Room, Computer Lab, Media Services and Audiovisual Collections and a Classroom.

The Health Sciences Library
Temple University

Area – 63,681 GSF (planned in two floor levels), (31,579 existing)
Collections – 105,129 volumes total, including 61,818 monograph titles
Seating – 797 planned, (415 existing)
Staff FTE – 26.17: 5.9 professional; 12.25 paraprofessional; 7.93 student assistants
Patron Population – 2,957 students and 2,191 faculty & hospital staff
Use Statistics – 326,590 gate, 3,774 reference, 16,771 circulation

Comments – The consolidated Health Sciences Library facility will be located in a two floor alteration and renovation project within the School of Dentistry building, across the street from the Medical Center. The Entry Floor includes a street level Lobby and Security Station, a Student Lounge area and a number of Large Computer Classroom/Labs and Staff Offices. All other Library functions are housed in an expansive 2^nd floor. Because of the limited amount of space available the program document recommends storing older Bound Periodicals in compact shelving and a move to computer access for future storage of many back issue periodical titles.

The Health Sciences Library
University of Maryland at Baltimore

Area – 130,000 GSF (estimated from net figure quoted in the program document)
Collections – 331,727 volumes total, including 145,889 monograph titles. The program document for this recently completed project lists a 309,100 volume 1990 collection that is projected to grow to 509.000 by 2010.
Seating – not available
Staff FTE – 55: 24 professional, 30.5 paraprofessional and .5 student assistants. The program document projects staff growth to 73.5 by 2010.
Patron Population – not available
Use Statistics – 220,538 gate, 51,949 reference, 403,144 circulation

Comments – This recently completed new Library also includes facilities for the University Information Technology Department (not included in above area figure). The program document lists the following technology rooms for the Library:

• TAL’s Rooms (Technically Assisted Learning) – 770 SF IBM & 480 SF MAC
• Video TAL – 2 @ 600 SF
• IS Demo Room – 400 SF
• Large Meeting Room – 50-100 seats – 1500 SF

Program Reduction Strategies

Based on our preliminary analysis we found three major areas of the original program that looked as if they might be candidates for significant reduction. These included collections storage space and an extensive Learning Resource Center component and related new staff area dedicated to "Knowledge Creation", otherwise known as Biomedical Informatics. Similar Informatics spaces show up in practically all the Health Sciences library programs we researched, though not occupying as high a percentage of the total program area as Howard University’s.

At our initial meeting with Dr. Minor we reviewed our preliminary Benchmarking data and space reduction strategies and learned that he was especially interested in the recently constructed library at Vanderbilt University, a facility he apparently regarded as a good standard for the Howard project. Dr. Minor wished to know how the reduced program would stand in comparison. He also expressed an interest in the technology, the number of computer drops to be provided in our project as well as the physical size and program makeup for the proposed Health Sciences Library. We learned that the Vanderbilt Biomedical Library was a four-story building with a gross area of 77,000-sq. ft., a collection capacity of 205,757 volumes and a total staff of 40.18 FTE. Our recommendations for the Howard University Health Sciences Library are actually somewhat higher in all these categories.

We contacted AAHSLD for additional information including the size of the libraries, the number of patrons they serve and the amount of seating provided. The last time they compiled such information was 1990. However, many libraries have been expanded or replaced with new facilities since then. We were told that an update is due out in May or June of this year.

Because the Biomedical Informatics program is in early development at Howard University, we were especially interested to learn how Biomedical Informatics was handled at other health science libraries. From our Internet search we learned that according to Michael Vannier, MD of the Emory University Health Sciences Center Library, "Biomedical Informatics is an emerging discipline that bridges traditional boundaries between basic sciences and clinical medicine. The end objective of Biomedical Informatics is the coalescing of scientific data, medical knowledge, and the tools necessary to apply that data and knowledge in a decision-making process, at the time and place that a decision needs to be made."

Some institutions (including Stanford, Harvard, Duke) have academic programs in Biomedical Informatics. Emory University does not, and is currently involved in a 2 year IAIMS (Integrated Advanced Information Management Systems) planning process which is centered in the library. We believe it would be helpful to contact a number of institutions to learn more about the various strategies employed to implement and house Informatics programs.

Though a number of institutions have established this program in an academic department while others have chosen their library, by definition it is apparent that, once established, the use of the system should not be focused in one location. As with other uses of information technology, the trend is for it to be integrated with other user activities. Given that there are medical professionals spread throughout the Hospital Complex, as well as faculty, researchers and students at a number of professional schools in different buildings all using and contributing to this system, a fair amount of this technology must eventually reside outside the Health Sciences Library. For example, there are many seminar rooms in the Seeley G. Mudd building that are the correct size and configuration to be upgraded to PBL classroom/labs. The University’s project representatives, including Bryant H. Logan, the Director of Informatics have agreed to our recommendations for the program reductions in Informatics.

Similarly, the assumption that there will be remote access to the Health Sciences Library and Informatics data bases from faculty and professional staff work spaces, academic departments and even from off-campus locations provides a rationale for at least some reduction of library seating requirements.

The Librarians helped us to develop the following strategies for reducing the amount of space that will be provided in the new library for collections:

• Continue to house the 57,308 volumes of Monographs currently in "storage" in the same manner.
• Keep the oldest third of the Serials Collection in the old existing stacks.
• Keep the oldest third of the Monograph Collections in the old existing stacks.
• Construct at least half of the 3^rd and 4^th floor stack areas with the capacity to support compact shelving in the event this is needed in the future.
• Begin selecting back issue serial subscriptions that will be only stored in CD-ROM or microform format. The librarians believe that the number of serial titles that will be restricted to electronic storage will increase in the future.

The Comparative Program Summary and detailed program included in this report illustrates that by employing the space saving strategies described above we have been able to reduce the net assignable area to 58,459 sq. ft., which should result in a gross building area of approximately 83,000 sq. ft.

Preliminary Site Planning Analysis

We began our planning study with a walking tour of the Howard University campus and a review of the Site Studies included in the original Davis Brody Bond Space Program and the latest submission of the University Master Plan. We paid special attention to the outdoor spaces and the placement of existing buildings to better understand the campus structure and patterns. We learned that the University wishes to unify and define the southern end of the Howard campus (south of Bryant Street) and provide a focal point and central outdoor space for The Health Sciences Complex. We believe it is also important to create a greater sense of continuity and connection between the southern and northern parts of the campus.

For the most part, the perimeter of the campus north of Bryant Street is clearly defined. The interior of this part of the campus conveys a strong sense of place and community. 4^th Street and Georgia Avenue are busy streets that form the east and west edges of the Howard University’s central academic core. Howard Place connects these streets and passes through the center of the campus. There are memorable gateways at 4^th and 6^th Streets and Howard Place that lead into the Main Quadrangle or "Heart of the Campus". 6^th Street acts as the primary spine of vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the campus in the north-south direction. In addition to 6^th Street there are pedestrian walks and steps that help to connect the campus through a series of outdoor passages and spaces such as the Science Quadrangle.

The Health Sciences Complex and the majority of University Hospital facilities are located south of Bryant Street. Though the Howard University Hospital (HUH) operates facilities at twelve different properties the perimeter of Hospital site itself, is also fairly well defined. This is especially true as seen when approaching from Georgia Avenue through its park like entry. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Health Sciences Complex.

The College of Dentistry building, the College of Medicine/East, the College of Medicine/West, the Seeley G. Mudd building and the present Health Sciences Library are located on the south side of W Street. These buildings are interconnected with a labyrinth of corridors and are linked to the Hospital by a glass-enclosed bridge. Though there are lobby spaces in each building, none of these is large enough to serve as a "Commons" for the entire Health Sciences Complex. The University wants to create such a Commons within the new library. Given the height and width of the College of Dentistry building and especially the Seeley G. Mudd building, they are set quite close to the street. The College of Medicine/East building has a deeper setback providing a sunnier and somewhat more comfortable outdoor space for gathering. This space should be coordinated into the planning of the larger central outdoor space that will be developed as part of the Health Sciences Library project.

The School of Nursing and Allied Health building, the Center for Hypertension and the Health Affairs building are located on the north side of W Street. In its present configuration, W Street actually seems to separate rather than connect the Health Sciences facilities. This is most evident on the North side of the street where little is provided to differentiate the campus from the surrounding neighborhood.

The view from the south side of W Street, looking north is very disorganized and uninviting in appearance. There is a gas station at the corner of Georgia Avenue and W Street and two small parking lots at the 6^th Street intersection. 6^th Street terminates at W Street and aligns with an alley-like entry to the current Health Sciences Library set between the Seeley G. Mudd and School of Dentistry buildings. Though beyond the scope of this project, we believe it is very important to improve the 6^th Street and W Street intersection.

The Center for Hypertension, a small neoclassic brick and limestone building constructed in 1913, is the only building on the northern side W Street located directly on the street. The Health Affairs building, otherwise known as Annex 2, is a "temporary" structure built in 1970, in what was once a courtyard between The Center for Hypertension and the School of Nursing and Allied Health building. These three buildings appear crowded together. The remainder of the block is occupied by a large chain link fence enclosed parking lot. This parking lot looks more like the rough edge of the campus rather than a point of connection to the Main Campus. This is the campus planning problem that will be most directly improved by the Health Sciences Library project.

We agree with the President Swygert’s assertion that there is much to be learned in looking back to the old Cassell Master Plan for the campus. Of particular interest to this project, Mr. Cassell’s plan called for the creation of a park just south of what was then the Freedmen’s Hospital. The center of this park was to include two parallel tree-lined walks running north from the terminus of 5^th Street at W Street and set on axis with the semicircular drive at the Freedmen’s Hospital (now the C. B. Powell building). Though it is no longer possible to create a park that occupies the entire block, our plan incorporates a quadrangle of similar size and configuration as the original central portion. It will be a relatively large open space comparable in size and shape to the existing Science Quadrangle. The impressive appearance and the symbolism associated with the history of C. B. Powell building makes it an appropriate backdrop for the proposed Health Sciences Quadrangle.

Mr. Cassell’s Master Plan also suggested extension of the park-like planting scheme across to the southern side of W Street and the alignment of walkways on he north side of the street with walks and building entries on the south side of this street. We agree with this strategy. We believe it is especially important to establish such connections at the intersection of 5^th and W Streets and at the small plaza in front of the lobby of the College of Medicine/East building. Using similar paving, planting, signage, streetlights, site walls, fences and gates and establishing clearly defined crosswalks along W Street and Bryant Street will effectively connect the Health Sciences and Hospital Complex area to the main campus. Such improvements will also reinforce what is presently the weakest section of the eastern perimeter of the campus.

Concept Design Studies

The current Howard University Master Plan proposes siting the new Health Sciences Library on the eastern most third of the block bounded by W Street, Bryant Street, 4^th and 6^th Streets. This creates a number of intriguing opportunities that we have explored in our preliminary site planning studies. These studies also had to take into consideration the potential for future expansion of the Library and an additional Health Science related or other academic building on this site.

We initially developed five site concept alternatives for this project and reviewed the pros and cons of each with representatives of the University’s project team. Based upon this review it was agreed that we would continue to study options D & E which were renamed respectively as B & A:

Option A – This scheme sets a 4-story Health Sciences Library directly adjacent to and parallel with the eastern edge of the new quadrangle. Based upon soils information recently obtained by the University we concluded that the high water table and poor soils conditions at this site makes a basement level impractical. The Library’s setback from Bryant Street will be equal to that of the School of Nursing and Allied Heath building. This maintains a wide enough green space to promote comfortable pedestrian movement from the new Health Sciences Quadrangle to the northern part of the campus, via Bryant, 4^th and 6^th Streets. It also provides adequate space for deliveries and parking for a limited number of handicapped and staff.

One of the greatest strengths of this scheme is that does not rely on future construction to provide sufficient closure to define the quadrangle. The library entry will be located at the southwest corner of this building making it highly visible and convenient to its patrons. The majority of public reading spaces will face west towards the new quadrangle and southwest towards the Health Sciences and Hospital facilities, enhancing security. Because the land east of the Library will not be readily seen from the quadrangle, there is little need for heavy landscaping for this area other than to identity it as part of the campus.

Option A provides space for 80,000 to 100,000 SF of future construction to be located east of the proposed library. This scheme suggests a "U-shaped" footprint for the future construction, creating a partially enclosed courtyard behind the Library. The future construction would have a strong presence on 4^th Street and W Street, defining an important edge of the campus.

An additional site for future construction can be created on W Street just south of the School of Nursing and Allied Health building. Replacing the Center for Hypertension and the Health Affairs buildings with a larger and taller new building can do this. This would also recreate the courtyard that was lost when the Annex 2 building was constructed.

Option B – In this scheme the 4-story Health Sciences Library is set with its long axis parallel to W Street. Its entry will also be at the southwest corner of the building. As is Option A, this entry is very visible and convenient. In this scheme, it will be possible to provide an additional entry near the northwest corner of the building. Initially this scheme will provide much less enclosure along the eastern edge of the quadrangle. It will create a strong presence along W Street to the corner of 4^th Street.

We recommend an "L-shaped" configuration for the future buildings to be constructed east of the new quad. This construction would be along 4^th street and on Bryant Street, with a setback that matches the School of Nursing and Allied Health building. This will create a semi-enclosed courtyard that can be entered directly from the quadrangle. Major views for Health Sciences Library patrons will be to the north, into this courtyard. Among the shortfalls of this scheme are that it provides less security on the quadrangle and before the future buildings are constructed, it requires more landscaping north of the Library. As in Option A, additional future construction can be located south of the School of Nursing and Allied Health building.

Along with these site plans, we developed blocking and stacking diagrams (simple floor layouts locating each function by floor level). These diagrams describe the recommended adjacency relationships for various elements of the program. We then prepared concept floor plans that helped to illustrate exterior and interior design opportunities, potential views and site relationships for both options. The University’s project representatives selected Option A.

Option A -- Building Design Concept Narrative

Based upon specific programmatic requirements and site constraints, the proposed Library building plan is generally organized so that each level is divided into three zones. The first zone is dedicated primarily to special functions, some of which will be occupied after the normal operating hours of the library. Therefore this zone is located at the southern end of the building beyond the line of internal library security. The second zone is north of the security point on the east side of the building. It includes the majority of staff offices and most of the stacks for back-issue periodicals and monograph collections. The third zone houses the majority of the library’s user seating/study space. It is placed on the west side of the building to provide views of the new quadrangle.

First Floor Layout / Drawing

You enter the Health Sciences Library building at the base of a tower that leads into a large 4-story lobby atrium. The atrum will be the Health Sciences Commons. The Commons will include exhibits, a building directory and information kiosk, security desk and visitor seating area with views of the entry plaza. The seating area will be located adjacent to a snack bar. The Commons will also be used for health fairs, fund raising, receptions and as a pre-function lobby for a complex of meeting rooms. The meeting complex includes the following rooms:

• 40 seat Presentation/Community Resource Center that is fit-up with flexible conference table seating, state-of-the-art media equipment (including distance learning) and data ports so that it can be divided for smaller groups and can also be used as Problem Based Learning classrooms.
• 15 seat room for videoconferencing with medical professionals in other cities. It will have a video projector, portable video equipment, retractable screen, white boards (wired for future electronic whiteboard) and Network ports at table surfaces for laptop use.
• 5 seat Telemedicine Center and storage room, set up for telemedicine consulting and telephone diagnosis. The room will have two workstations, plus network access for laptops, videoconferencing cameras and equipment on moveable carts and telephones.

The other functions in this area include a security office, service kitchen, snack bar and related storage and toilet facilities. This complex will serve large groups of both University and outside visitors. By locating these functions within this zone we limit traffic and disruption through quieter library areas.

On entering the Library proper, you will find a grand stairway and public elevator to your left. The elevator is a dual-entry type so that the library side can be secured after normal operating hours. Further to the left of the library entry, beyond the stair and elevator, are the Information Services Desk, Information and Education Services workstations and offices. This is a highly active service center providing expert consultation related to print reference and electronic based information resources. The service desk will monitor the Reference collection and reading room located on the west side of the library as well as the stand-up catalog stations and the many Reference and individual computer workstations located at the center of the first floor. These workstations are situated at the bottom of a 4-story atrium, an attractive design feature that links all the levels of the library visually. A clerestory at the top of this atrium will bring controlled natural light into the center of the library.

The Access Services Department is located to the right of the library entry. This area includes a large desk with Circulation, Reserves, ILL (Inter-Library Loan) and Media service points. Our plan concentrates the handling of circulating collections, media and materials borrowed from other institutions in a common location. Related staff workstations and offices, central printing and the media control/equipment room are directly behind this desk. This "one-stop-shopping" approach to patron service helps to maximize staff utilization and availability. Thirty multi-media workstations are provided in a glass enclosed room located just north of the Media service point. Though normally used as an open lab, this room can be used for teaching and can be divided into one 10-seat and one 20-seat space. Patrons can get immediate assistance and obtain software directly from the media desk, via the LAN and campus-wide network or, as in the case for many videos, from centrally controlled banks of VCR’s and disc players.

The building support and delivery area is located at the northeast corner of the first floor. With the exception of a vendor provided central copying service, these are "back-of-house" areas. A staff/service elevator and stairway connects this area to the Technical Services offices and workstations above it on the fourth floor.

Second Floor Layout / Drawing

Entering the second floor from the main stair or elevator puts you at the southern end of the library atrium. There are standup catalog terminals here and in similar locations on the 3^rd and 4^th floors. On each floor there are carrels and individual computer workstations surrounding the atrium. Public toilets located just to the right of the elevator and main stair on each floor. To the left of the atrium is the Current Periodicals Reading Room and a smaller "tower" reading room. The Current Periodicals Room has glazed partitions and doors for control and to bring in natural light. It will be designed as an inviting and relaxed area with ample views of the new quadrangle. The room will include periodical display shelving, comfortable reading tables and lounge seating, microfilm cabinets and reader/printer stations. As on the first floor, the planning goal was to combine as many related functions as possible in a common service area. A service desk and staff workstation is located near the entry to this room to provide assistance in the use of this material and related computer and microform equipment.

The northern end and northeastern corner of this floor houses seven group study rooms, each accommodating 4-6 students. It also holds the beginning of the Bound Serials Collection. Facilities dedicated to Informatics occupy the balance of the second floor. The introduction of group study facilities and Informatics are two very important aspects of the new Health Sciences Library project. Biomedical Informatics is an emerging discipline that bridges traditional boundaries between basic sciences and clinical medicine. The University librarians chose the second floor location for Informatics because they believe it is essential to fully integrate this new learning technique with the more traditional research activities on the 1^st and 2^nd floors.

To foster this relationship there are two glass-enclosed Informatics rooms visible from the center of the library, a 30-seat Informatics Training Room and a student and junior faculty workroom filled with Informatics workstations. Across from these rooms to the east are eight offices for staff associated with Informatics administration, program development, teaching and graphics.

Moving into the southern end of the second floor you will find a eight (8) rooms that are dedicated to Problem Based Learning (Informatics). These electronic classrooms will be furnished with large conference style tables to promote flexibility so they can also be used as seminar rooms, computer labs and group study spaces. Each will serve 12 students, providing 6 shared computer workstations and network ports and power for laptop use flanking each shared station. Where possible, moveable partitions will be provided (with white board surfaces) to allow conversion of rooms for 12 into rooms for 24.

For security purposes the rooms will have card access hardware. Because they will regularly be used after-hours, doors or gates will be provided to separate these classrooms from the Informatics offices and library collections. At night, this area will be monitored by a staff member or student assistant and it will have security cameras tied into the security office. The southern, or special function areas of the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th floors as well as each library level entry area will have views into the Lobby Atrium. This will strengthen the building’s identity as the focus of the Health Sciences learning community.

Third Floor Layout / Drawing

As previously mentioned the basic layout of the third and fourth floors are similar to the second floor. The third floor is primarily dedicated to Bound Serial collections, related seating areas and group studies. Patron seating and computer workstations will be concentrated around the atrium, on the east side of the building and in the tower reading room. Three group studies are provided at the northwest corner of the library and a fourth is located adjacent to the tower room.

The library’s administrative offices are located at the southern part of the third floor, allowing this area can be secured during the evening. The Special Collections Room and Special Collections Stack are adjacent to these offices. This provides convenient monitoring of these secured collection materials. It also allows the Special Collection Room to be used as a meeting/conference room, in the same way this is done at the Founders Library.

The Closed Stack will provide a specially controlled preservation environment and will have the capacity to hold 12,000 volumes in electric compact shelving. The Reading room will provide a beautiful, secure and controlled environment for the display and use of special collections devoted to black health issues and the contribution of black practitioners to the history of medicine, and rare books. This room is very prominently located at the southern end of the building, providing wonderful views into the atrium, the new quadrangle and to the Health Sciences Complex and Hospital on W Street and 5^th Street.

Fourth Floor Layout / Drawing

The Technical Services offices and the staff lounge and lockers are located at the northeast corner of the fourth floor. This addresses the librarian’s desire for a staff presence on every level of the Library. With the exception of these staff facilities, the fourth floor is entirely dedicated to Bound Serials and Monograph Collections and related patron seating, including a Tower Reading Room. One group study room is adjacent to Tower Room, three are provided at the northwest corner of the library and five are located at the southern end of the building. An attractive feature of this floor is that it provides open use library seating with views into both atrium spaces.

Conclusions

As evident in the preceding project description, the proposed new Health Sciences Library will provide the many important resources, services and new technologies which are needed to support the students, faculty and researchers of all the University’s Health Sciences programs and the staff the Howard University Hospital. It will also greatly improve the University’s ability to share critically important information with health professionals and researchers at many other institutions and to provide outreach services to the surrounding community.

This project will provide a high quality interior environment and the appropriate outdoor setting to serve as the focus of the Health Sciences Community and as the symbol of the University’s commitment to these programs. We believe this project will also effectively join the northern and southern sectors of the campus