Sunday, April 26, 2009


The library is progressing on schedule. I have heard people suggest the box in the front right corner of the photo is a form for an elevator (northeast corner); it is actually a window well. The basement should be well lit. Notice the square concrete pier caps scattered throughout the ground level. These pier caps take the place of footings (there are no footings).
They are building the tunnel westward and as soon as they have cleared the perimeter of the plaza they will begin the plaza with the objective of completing it prior to the start of school this fall.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Hoodstock 2009

Last Saturday the Richfield campus put on a great car show for the students and community. There was a nice showing of cars, music (complements of Andy Morgan and company), food and games. It was all great. I just wish we could have all thrown our car keys into a hat and drawn out something new (actually old) to take home.

Monday, April 20, 2009

It Snowed Last Week.

This is my view of the Noyes Building when I arrived at work last Thursday morning. It snowed the night before--leaving the college covered in a blanket of white Thursday morning. We did not get as much snow as the Wasatch Front and it was mostly melted off by the end of the day. Right now it is sunny and warm and we are still on course for summer.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

One Huge Screwdriver


The largest screwdriver I've seen -- placing piers in the ground to support the new library above our collapsible soils. 750 piers will be placed in the ground, each capable of supporting 100,000 pounds. Apparently the library and everything in it, including people will not exceed 75 million pounds.

Placing The Piers


Not wanting to be foolish and build our new library on sand (actually collapsible soil), contractors here are literally screwing 750 steel screws down through the soil to solid ground. Concrete caps will be poured on the piers and the library built on these caps. One of the piers can be seen in the upper right with two large threads for screwing into the ground. I understand the average pier length is about ten feet.