UNLV library groundbreaking today

Thursday, March 26, 1998 | 10:31 a.m.

Ground breaking for the Lied Library -- the most expensive project ever awarded by the Nevada Public Works Board -- is set for 4 p.m. today at UNLV.

A spokesman for the university said a who's who list of political and educational leaders has been invited to the campus ceremony.

The Lied Foundation ignited the library project almost four years ago when it offered to donate $10 million, the largest amount every donated to a Nevada university, if the Legislature would fully fund the plan within four years.

The idea met with some opposition initially from legislators who had other projects in mind, but last year funds were set aside to build the library.

The low bid of $40.4 million for construction of the 300,000-square-foot building recently was awarded to Tibesa Construction of Las Vegas.

Another $10 million will be used for other aspects of the project, said UNLV spokesman Chris Brown, bringing the total cost to about $51 million.

Eric Raecke, general manager for the Public Works Board, said the project's record will stand with the board as its most expensive until work begins on a new $85 million prison in Southern Nevada later this year.

UNLV President Carol Harter, Provost Douglas Ferraro, new library Director Ken Marks and several regents are among those scheduled to attend today's ground breaking.

Clark County commissioners and Nevada's congressional delegation are among the political figures that were invited, Brown said.

One of the most modern aspects of the library, which will have space to house 1.8 million volumes, is a $1.5 million automatic retrieval system which will use robotics to pick up a publication anywhere in the library.