During Winter Break, Strozier Library’s basement and sub-basement experienced water damage due to an air handler coil freezing. Due to this, some collections and services are impacted.
Collections
The physical collections on the basement level (Scholars Common) will be inaccessible during renovation. This includes the physical media collection, print journals, print government documents, sheet maps, and microfilm collections. While these collections were not damaged by the water, renovation is required for the surrounding floor.
Print government documents will be unavailable for browsing during renovations. Most of our print government information materials are available electronically at the Federal Government Information website and via our research guides. Please see the FSU Libraries Government Information website for information about our research guides and how to reach us.
The general collections in the subbasement will be inaccessible during renovation. Though a small number of these materials received minor damage, they will be moved temporarily for renovations.
Microfilm Collections
The microfilm collections are currently not accessible, but two microfilm readers have been moved to the main floor of Strozier Library for researchers who request microfilm through Interlibrary Loan.
Scholars Commons floor (the basement)
The entire Scholars Commons floor (the basement) will be closed for renovations. This includes the Bradley Reading Room, the Scholars Commons Instruction Room, the Faculty Conference Room, the Graduate Conference Room, and the four graduate study rooms. For information on available study rooms, visit our study rooms page.
Special Collections & Archives
- The Pepper Library Reading Room will become a center for SCA research services and instruction while the SCA Research Center Reading Room is closed to accommodate needed collections work space.
- SCA Instruction sessions can still be scheduled. In person sessions will be held in the Pepper Library Reading Room while our regular SCA Instruction Room on the basement level of Strozier is being repaired.
- SCA researcher visits are by appointment only. We ask for 2 weeks notice for appointments. We are not currently able to accommodate walk in hours but will resume walk in hours as soon as possible. Appointments to view materials or for research consultations can be requested online.
- We continue to provide research and instruction support virtually through a variety of methods. We are happy to work with you to connect you to the sources that you need.
- Thankfully, we did not lose any collection or sustain significant collections damage in the flood. Damage to flooring, flood related renovations, and our collections review and rehousing process will impact the availability of some collections and the time it may take us to retrieve material.
- We are not currently accepting new donations but will resume as soon as we are able to. We are happy to talk with you about your potential donation. Please contact us at lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu with all Special Collections & Archives donation questions.
We appreciate your patience as we navigate these circumstances. If you have questions about Special Collections & Archives or need assistance with your research or instruction, please contact lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu.
When will the collections and the Scholars Commons floor be accessible again?
Library employees, FSU Facilities, the Provost's office, Finance and Administration, and outside contractors are working with speed and diligence to reopen the collections and the floors as soon as possible. While it is difficult to provide an exact projection, we anticipate that we will start retrieving requests from the Scholars Commons collections in 4 to 6 weeks. We do not know when the Scholars Commons floor will reopen for browsing and study, but we assume that will happen sometime before the summer semester.
Because of complications with the subbasement flooring and shelving, we do not have an estimate at this time for when the subbasement collection will be accessible and retrievable.