New things abound in USM!

Prologue: Somewhat a continuation from my previous post about 1st Avenue. Kesinambungan dari segi isi kandungan!

There are so many new things abound in Universiti Sains Malaysia so pay attention now fellow USM-ers! Great times ahead indeed, ladies and gentlemen!

The most exciting one has to be this: the Perpustakaan Hamzah Sendut I New Wing (as of today on the very auspicious date of 11.1.11!) will be fully operational! A brand new library experience awaits!

Yours truly has actually explored the PHS I New Wing a day earlier (on 10.1.11) before the library is supposed to be fully operational! It all started with a little miscommunication on my part (thinking that Monday should the starting day for everything)...

Perpustakaan Hamzah Sendut finally has a real, official entrance.

Long (concrete) benches and decorative plants, painted in groovy colour. Purple is USM's official colour by the way.

So the main reason that I dropped by to this library is because that I want to register for ILS and Endnotes Workshop and they moved the office in charge to the counter here. After I registered whatever is needed, I asked the officer whether the library is open for student or not (since the banner that I saw earlier in campus says 11.1.11). His answer: "Actually we have been in operation since early January! Feel free to visit around." *glee* Well, you betcha! So I plopped my bag at the locker outside and went inside for a lil exploration!

Directory for the library. Five floors yo!

Rest area at the lobby.

Looking up the winding stairs and tall lobby. The tall lobby makes this library has an airy feel!

First floor. Kawasan Penggunaan Komputer Riba? KAWASAN BACAAN 24 JAM?! *jizz* This is FABULOUS!

Laptop area.

From what I can observe from the table, each individual table is actually going to be equipped with power sockets! In the time of writing though, they haven't done the wiring just yet so this is still waiting to be fully operational. Nevertheless, this is an exciting addition to laptop hoggers like us!

24 hours Reading Area. This is definitely a brand new feature of PHS I in which students can basically camp here and cramp all the books night before exam. Nightowls galore! Actually the 24 hours reading zone can be accessed from the specific side door so even when the main building's locked for the night, this area can still be accessed by students.

The colour of the chairs is pretty groovy too! Lime green!

Right beside the entrance to the 24 hour Reading Area is laptop charging station. They haven't done with the wiring though.

A new computers port for OPAC and database etc.

Discussion room named Heliconia 1 and 2. Looks pretty neat there. No white board (yet) for brain storming though.

A new computer lab!

Lonely computers, still waiting for its prospective user to install Windows and turn on.

Arts by student are all around the library and this particular one catches my eye: it's a samurai in red heels!

Counter tables and chairs lining the glass window providing a great view outside and conducive environment for dating. Oh wait...

2nd floor is mainly for researchers as what I can see from the directory. Oh by the way talking about the lighting in library, apparently it's controlled by motion sensor and when there's the presence of human, the light will automatically switches on. That's what happen when I explored around this floor and I initially wondered who switched on the light at such right moment. Of course with the usage of motion sensors, this also means that when there's no one around, the library can be pretty dimmed.

Research room...which is a more glorified version of discussion room with conference table instead of the usual table.

Let's continue to the next floor. Actually the reason the library has already (at least partially) operational is because the Malaysiana and Archive Section, originally over PHS II Library (the other library near the USM Mosque) has moved in to their new home over here. This section is where all the rare books and research theses are archived and it can be only be borrowed for two hours and has to be read within the section itself.

Apparently though, not many people know that it's already in operation so it's pretty deserted...except this one good old friend of mine tracing back to my naive AIESEC days, Tatie! She's currently doing her Masters in Musicology over UM but she came back here to read theses from Music Postgrads of previous batches. It was an indeed a fruitful day indeed!

Another look of the archive section. The shelves are obviously the old one from the PHSII though. Since that I am here and it's already in operation, I decided to look for my supervisor's Phd thesis about Subtitling and another journal about studies of reception. Fruitful day indeed.

Looking down the lobby from the 4th floor!

As I venture around for washroom, I spotted this interesting sign: Mobile phone area...at washroom?! It turns out that there a few benches inside the door for people to sit down and make phone calls...while I can't seems to find washroom over there. Hmm.

Another angle of the New Wing. The side staircase is the alternative access to the 24 hours reading area and there are more tables for students at the open air. Al fresco studying!

So there you go. Perpustakaan Hamzah Sendut Universiti Sains Malaysia. Looks like I will be having fun over there!

Another upcoming things in USM (especially for students active in club activities) is Pusat Cahayasiswa, a brand new student activity centre risen from the ashes (or rather, renovated) of former Cahaya dorms. Most of the building at the complex are pretty much ready except for interior retrofitting for the Student Affairs Office. No more hiking all the way up the hill to HEPP (Student Affairs Office) all of their operation will be centralised over here at Pusat Cahayasiswa.

One of the most striking feature of Pusat Cahayasiswa is the Canopy roof/atrium which seeks to emulate the canopy of the tree. It also double as a smart water drainage system at it's cone shape core. Pusat Cahayasiswa is most likely to be opened by the next academic year where all the offices and such are ready for operation.

That's all for now for new things in USM. USM-ers be proud!

Epilogue: Phew long post is long! Definitely will be back to more day to day stuff in the coming post. About how boring my life is and what not. *sigh* Why do all good things has to come to an end.