Enthusiasm high for new UNLV library

Friday, March 27, 1998 | 10:08 a.m.

Beneath Thursday's overcast skies the color of slate, UNLV officials held a ground-breaking ceremony for the Lied Library promising an enthusiastic group of supporters a bright future for the institution.

"This may be one of the most memorable moments in the history of this university," said UNLV President Carol Harter as she stood beside architects' renditions of the five-floor, 300,000-square-foot building scheduled for opening in January 2000.

Everyone praised the Lied Foundation Trust and its trustee, Christina Hixson, for a $10 million challenge to the state Legislature to fund a state-of-the-art library that would be the envy of universities around the nation.

"Without Christina Hixson and the Lied Trust we would not be here today," Harter said.

Last year the Legislature earmarked funds for the project and the Lied Foundation kicked in an additional $5 million, for a total of $15 million.

The building will cost $40.5 million to construct and it will cost another $10 million to outfit the facility, which will be one of only three in the nation to have a robotic retrieval system that will increase the volume storage capacity 10-fold.

"This will be the best library in this country," said Ken Marks, UNLV dean of libraries. "The Lied Library will give us the chance to become a premier university."

Harter said the impact of the library on the university and the community will be immeasurable.

Jill Derby, chairwoman of the Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada, described the new library as "visionary."

"It will enhance the status of UNLV," said Derby, noting that the institution is on its way to becoming a premier urban university.

Harter pointed out the new library is the same size as the Thomas and Mack Center.

"We are delighted to have a library the same size as the basketball stadium," she said.