University of Tennessee students can now enjoy the newly renovated Commons South in Hodges Library, which opened Sept. 5, and can look forward to Commons North later this month.

The refurbished Commons features new lights, ceilings, furniture to accommodate group study and freshly painted walls.  There are more power outlets, including some in the tables. In Commons North, some of the walls are being torn down to create more space.

The Commons first opened about two years ago in the rooms that used to hold the Reserves and Periodicals collections in Hodges.

"When the commons was created, it was really a bit of an experiment," said Laura Purcell, library outreach coordinator. "We didn't know how students were going to react to the service, as the libraries and [the Office of Information Technology ] had never embarked on this kind of project before. Once it was determined that the Commons was a success, the libraries and OIT thought it only fitting to renovate the space to truly meet student needs."

The Libraries and the Office of Information Technology have committed to building an excellent learning facility for our students at UT, and we hope you like the renovated spaces and new furnishings. Rita Smith, professor and head, Reference and Instructional Services

Renovations began May 9 and were funded by the university. The library staff hoped the Commons would be completed before the semester began, but there were some delays in construction and furniture delivery.

"We were all pretty disappointed that things weren't finished on time, but I think the end result will be worth the wait," Purcell said.

Until the Commons are entirely finished, Purcell recommends the Reference room, the Government Documents, Periodicals and Microforms room and the first floor of Hodges Library for students to study and socialize.  Quiet study areas are available on floors four through six of the library. The Media Center currently offers services normally provided by the Commons, such as laptop checkout, group viewing rooms and the Studio.

Services in the renovated Commons will remain the same, but Purcell encourages students to contact Rita Smith or Stan Pinkleton with suggestions for how they can serve students better.

"We really appreciate students' patience with the renovations," Purcell said. "We all look forward to having the rooms open again."