Friday, November 21, 2008 9:53 PM CST
EIU launches work on new texbook library
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — Eastern Illinois University wasted no time breaking ground for its new Textbook Rental Facility.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday afternoon, almost immediately after the EIU Board of Trustees authorized the borrowing of money and hiring of contractors for the $2.85 million project.
“Over the past century, our students have saved literally tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, by having the opportunity to rent, rather than buy, the textbooks required of them for their classes,” Board Chair Roger Kratochvil said at the groundbreaking. “I trust that when completed a year from now, the building will serve our students for many more decades to come.”
The new 19,200-square-foot facility will be located at 975 Edgar Drive. It will be able to store more than 200,000 textbook volumes.
Additionally, the Textbook Rental Facility will include a lobby, loading dock, receiving area, workroom and offices. It also will be equipped with a standalone geothermal heating and cooling system.
Most of the contractors named by the board Friday are from Central Illinois.
“We’re very pleased with the bids we received and the vendors doing the work,” said Vice President for Business Affairs Jeff Cooley.
The chosen contractors and their bids were:
- For general construction, Felmley-Dickerson Co. of Bloomington, $1,681,900.
-For plumbing, Clark Plumbing & Heating of Champaign, $101,291.
-For fire protection, Prairie Fire Sprinkler of Decatur, $39,962.
-For heating, T.A. Brinkoetter & Sons of Decatur, $298,000.
- For ventilation, Industrial Services of Illinois of Mattoon, $89,892.
- For electrical, Rathje Enterprises doing business as Bodine Electric of Decatur, $377,349.
The Board of Trustees on Friday also passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds for up to $5 million.
At the groundbreaking, Kratochvil said the origin of the textbook rental program dates back to 1899. It resided in Old Main for 70 years, and then moved to its current location in Pemberton Hall (it was housed temporarily in Buzzard Hall during renovations to Pemberton in the 1980s).
Kratochvil said the textbook inventory is worth about $8 million.
“On average, our students save $600 to $800 annually by renting, rather than buying, their textbooks,” he said. “It’s easy to figure out why the service is so popular among these young men and women — and their parents.”
Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.
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steve senteney wrote on Nov 24, 2008 12:04 PM:
I would appreciate response of others as to whether the quonset hut on campus was ever the location for the textbook rental facility.
Does anyone remember what units of the campus were located in the quonset hut? Of course, you may need to confirm that there was actually a quonset hut and I am just not dreaming it up. I have slept several nights since my early college days.
The textbook rental policy of EIU is one of the many positive things about the university. Anyone who has purchased testbooks or paid for them for their children understand how expensive text books can be. "