The Cline Library Assembly Hall, a busy and popular location on NAU\u2019s Mountain Campus for films, lectures, community events and large-enrollment classes, is getting a major upgrade during Summer 2023.<\/p>\n
The Hall will be closed from Monday, May 22, through mid-August for the installation of new seats, carpeting, lighting and technology, all aimed at creating a more accessible, comfortable and enjoyable experience for audience members.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe current seats are original to the Hall from the early \u201890s,\u201d said Cline Library Assistant Dean Jill Friedmann, the library\u2019s lead for the project. \u201cThe new seats are going to be so much more comfortable than the chairs that are in there now. The comfort level is going to be amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The biggest element of the project is the installation of new seats to replace the Hall\u2019s current 18\u201d- and 19\u201d-wide seats, which are no longer manufactured. Most of the 394 new seats will be 20\u201d and 22\u201d wide. There will also be two pairs of 21\u201d-wide seats; each pair will be easy to reconfigure into one 42\u201d-wide seat. All seats will have tablet writing surfaces, including 32 seats with tablets for left-handed writers.<\/p>\n
When the Hall was built only two ADA locations providing accessible seating were required. This project will add four more ADA locations, bringing the total to six and the Hall up to current code. Another improvement will be the addition of lighting on the stair risers to improve safety.<\/p>\n
The updated seating plan also requires updated carpeting. However, most of the carpeting removed from the Hall, which was installed in 2016, will be salvaged for reuse elsewhere in the library.<\/p>\n
A final upgrade will be the addition of two 100\u201d displays on either side of the main projection screen. These large displays will improve sight lines for audience members sitting on the sides of the Hall.<\/p>\n
This project is being funded by the university\u2019s Classroom Improvement Funds, with additional funds from Cline Library. Information Technology Services is contributing funding for the technology upgrades.<\/p>\n
The project team includes:<\/p>\n
Dean and University Librarian Cynthia Childrey is well aware of the need for the project and its potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cCline Library\u2019s Assembly Hall plays an important role on campus and in our community, so it\u2019s important for it to be welcoming and accessible,\u201d Childrey said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to be moving forward with our project partners on improvements aimed at making a difference for both individuals and the broader diverse user community we serve.\u00a0 We look forward to sharing the upgraded space with users of the Hall when we welcome them back in Fall 2023.\u201d<\/p>\n