Construction on Mell Street is still underway but according to Jayson Hill, marketing and communications of Auburn Libraries, it shouldn’t be a burden to students.
“Really the only thing that will effect students is that there are less study rooms open,” Hill said.
Hill said the library will continue to have the same hours of operation and provide the same services such as tutoring and OIT computer repair.
The entrance to RBD will remain the same as it was prior to construction, but will be indoors, and the interior of the library will be an atrium, Hill said.
Hill said the third and fourth floors of the library will be connected to the Mell Classroom Building, also referred to as MCB.
Bonnie McEwan, Dean of Libraries, said the new building will host 26 active learning classrooms that are intended for classes that require high tech resources and two lecture halls.
“The classrooms are designed for professors who teach with iPads or with a lot of interactive technology,” McEwan said.
McEwan said Caribou Coffee will be demolished and replaced with a full-service Panera Bread, and the Study ER will remain in its original location; The Panera will also include a walk up window for students to order Panera from the outside.
Until Panera construction is competed, the library will have a temporary location for coffee after Caribou is demolished, according to McEwan.
“The temporary location will most likely be barebones and making espressos only,” McEwan said.
Caribou was originally planned to be replaced with Einstein Bros. Bagels as of 2015, but students ultimately chose Panera instead when asked in a poll last spring.
Trey Fields, executive vice president of initiatives, said Panera first approached the university this past year with interest in having a presence on campus, which brought a poll to students asking their preference.
“You spend so much time on Auburn’s campus, so you should have access to food that’s really going to make you happy,” Fields said.
The poll asked students if they preferred Einstein Bros. Bagels to come to Auburn in the Haley Center, and have Panera located in the new building instead, and Panera won by ninety percent, according to Fields.
“They will have a full menu, which will be good for lunch and dinner, especially for people studying in the library late or have late classes,” Fields said. “Hopefully, we will look and see if Panera could have a late night option with small foods such as grab and go items and also coffee, which is most important.”
Einstein Bros. Bagels is now scheduled to be put in the Haley center where Freshens previously was and will be available to students sometime this school year, according to Fields.
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