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MARSHFIELD – Equipping of the sciences labs and remodeling of the Hamilton Roddis Memorial Library at UW-Marshfield/Wood County have been completed and are ready for students’ return to campus on Sept. 6.

“It’s been a very busy summer,” said Dr. Andrew Keogh, dean and campus executive officer.  “But thanks to the hard work of Congressman Dave Obey and the generosity of a local anonymous donor, our labs and library are ready for students.”

U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wausau) assisted the campus in obtaining a congressionally designated grant of $400,000 for the remodeling and renovation of the campus’ six science labs.  Obey will be at UW-Marshfield/Wood County, attending a Student Ambassador Training session in the science labs, from 1-2 p.m. Monday, August 29.

The grant covers the cost of new equipment.  The footprint of the Aldo Leopold Science Building was not altered. Computer networking, mobile distance-education teaching stations and digital microscopes are part of the equipment purchases, which will continue to arrive through spring 2006.

“The mobile distance-education teaching stations will allow us to extend beyond our physical campus,” Keogh said. “For example, they will enable us to teach at area worksites without their employees leaving their campus.  This is just one instance of how Congressman Obey and UW-Marshfield/Wood County are working together to promote the Wisconsin Idea of bringing education to the people.”

“Thanks to this grant, we will have the equipment to break down the academic barriers between the specific disciplines,” said Dan McCollum, assistant campus dean for administrative services.  “This grant will allow us to utilize a more integrated, multidisciplinary approach to teaching science.”

Students and staff began moving books, shelves and other materials back into the Hamilton Roddis Memorial Library starting August 22.  The $510,000 renovation of the campus library began in June, and was funded in cooperation with Wood County, the city of Marshfield, the state of Wisconsin and a private donor.

The renovated library includes a teaching lab, where students and faculty can upgrade their research skills; The Learning Center, which focuses on building and enhancing classroom skills; and small study areas where students can work together on team and group projects.

Like the science lab project, the library renovation did not alter the footprint of the Helen Connor Laird Fine Arts Building.  Though the library is now about 9,700 square feet – about 1,000 more square feet than before – the renovation involved more effective use of underused space, such as the former darkroom.

The library has been virtually untouched since it was constructed in 1971 as part of the Helen Connor Laird Fine Arts Building.  The project includes an additional $210,000 in state monies for technology and furniture costs. A formal dedication of the renovated library will be held after Jan. 1, 2006, when the new furniture has arrived on campus.

 “As technology changes, so must libraries,” said Ruth Elderbrook, library director. “Libraries today must incorporate technology and flexibility. We adapted our library to better meet today’s higher technological expectations, as we continue to respond to the increasing information needs of the 21^st Century.”

The Hamilton Roddis Memorial Library honors the late Hamilton Roddis, who served as secretary, president and chairman of the board of the Roddis Plywood Corp., now Marshfield Door Systems Inc., for more than 60 years.