The Faculty Senate today will get a sneak peek inside the renovated Booth Library, which is scheduled to open to the campus early next year.

The senate will take a guided tour of the library, which has been under construction for almost two and a half years. The process began with the removal of library materials from Booth in June of 1999.

When Booth opens in January, it will mark the first time in 30 months that Eastern’s campus has had all of its research materials in a centralized location.

The library’s renovation includes the addition of an atrium to the building’s south end. Library officials have previously said the atrium will provide an area for social gathering. The new building also will include new computer labs, group study rooms and an overall better working environment for library staff.

Faculty Senate Chair Bud Fischer said today’s tour would be the highlight of the senate’s weekly meeting.

“The big thing tomorrow is that we will get a tour of the library to view the progress,” he said.

The other topic the senate will focus is on is the discussion of topics related to recruitment and retention, Fischer said.

The senate has reviewed both of those topics at previous meetings this semester and has considered hosting a forum next semester, which could focus on recruitment and retention.

The senate also will hear updates on the associate vice president for academic affairs search committee and the Presidential Search Advisory Committee.

Senate member James Tidwell, journalism professor, who chaired the associate vice president for academic affairs for technology search committee told the senate last week that the committee had sent forth its recommendations to Provost Blair Lord.

As for the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, it is scheduled to meet via conference call this morning. Fischer and senate member Luis Clay Mendez, a foreign languages professor, serve on that committee.