PLANNING MILESTONES (listed in reverse chronological order)

September 2005:

This was the month that finally saw all of the Bracken staff together again on the same floor. The last of the hoarding disappeared, and the final version of CHEER was unveiled as Document Services staff moved into their new office.
Within hours on the first day of term, every available chair was filled with students turning Bracken Library and CHEER into the exciting, interactive space it was intended to be. The group rooms have also been put to good use by both instructors and students from across the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The Videoconference Room was completed, and will provide Botterell Hall with an attractive and high-tech space for outreach and distance education.

August 2005:

In August, most of the Bracken staff returned to the Main Floor and took up residence in the new CHEER space. Staff in Administration, Public Services, Technical Services and Access Services all began to get used to the new, bright and very inviting space.
We were also pleased to invite faculty, staff and students into CHEER, though we all had to contend with unfinished rooms, lack of air circulation, heat pump leaks and temperamental computers and printers.
As Access Services moved into the new Circulation and Reserve space, new hoarding went up and we all listened as the old circulation desk was dismantled to make way for Document Services' new office.
Planning continued in earnest for Alumni Weekend (September 23-25) as well as the CHEER grand opening event scheduled for October 21, 2005.

June and July 2005:

Early summer saw us working with the architect and project manager to approve paint colours, detailing and adjustments to the millwork. There was also a constant stream of questions from the contractors as they began to actually create CHEER from the mass of architect and designer drawings.
Decisions were made regarding the audiovisual and computer requirements for the e-Laboratory, the Small Group Rooms and the Videoconference room.
Bracken joined a Queen's University Library project to develop an online room booking system. When completed it will allow faculty, staff and students in Health Sciences to pre-book rooms in CHEER.

May 2005:

In April and May the furniture quote was finalised for the staff offices, small group rooms, the computer lab, discussion areas, the open area computer stations, and the videoconference room.
Staff started to work on signage for spaces, rooms and directional signs. This included lively discussions on what to name these spaces.
The walls were prepped for painting.

April 2005:

The floor was emptied from floor to ceiling during March and April.
In April, the SUN equipment was finalised and the SUN Education Grant was approved which gave us one free piece of equipment for every one purchased. (There will be 30 SUN Rays in CHEER.)

March 2005:

Construction start date: March 14/2005.
A separating wall was constructed to allow the library to remain open during construction.

February 2005:

Reference and Circulation desk designs finalized.
Public and staff areas of the main floor in Bracken start relocating to the lower level. This includes the construction of some temporary space to accommodate staff.

December 2004:

Bracken staff agree to CHEER floorplan. Specific plans for the Reference and Circulation desks still need to be developed.

October 2004:

Participation in the donor wall ceremony in Botterell Hall during Alumni Weekend.

September 2004:

Architects and designers present proposed floorplans to all Bracken staff. Bracken staff units met separately in small groups to provide feedback to the architects.

July 2004:

First proof of concept to test the use of Sunray thin client technology.

June 2004:

Architects and designers meet with staff teams and user groups.

May 2004:

Selection of architects: Griffiths Rankin Cook and Designers: Gansen Lindsay, both of Ottawa, ON. Selection approved by Queen's Campus Planning and Development on May 7, 2004.

Meetings with Core Planning Team held on May 20 and 28, 2004.

Staff teams finalized.

April 2004:

Focus group meetings with students (Rehabs, Meds).

Poster prepared for presentation at ACMC Annual Meeting in Halifax, NS.

March 2004:

Focus group meetings with students (Life Sciences).

Meetings with Advancement and Stantive Solutions (SUN).

January - February 2004:

Functional Program Planning with Queen's PPS.

January 2004:

Meetings with Bracken staff re. Reference Desk and Circulation.

Staff teams determined.

December 2003:

Meetings of the Technology Working Group with the special mandate to look into the feasibility of using SUN equipment for CHEER.

November 2003:

Meetings with PPS - scope of project.

Presentation of CHEER concept to School of Rehabilitation Council.

October 2003:

Presentation of CHEER concept to School of Nursing Council.

May 2003:

Meetings with Stantive Solutions re. possibility of a SUN grant for CHEER.

April 2003:

Presentation of CHEER concept to School of Medicine Council.

March 2003:

Presentation of the CHEER renovation of the MLC to the Bracken Health Sciences Library Committee. Suggestion to move the renovation to the first floor of the library is endorsed: increased visibility, better space.

January - February 2003:

Meetings with Queen's PPS re. renovation of Multimedia Learning Centre (MLC).