UC Irvine's Main Library, which was closed over the summer for an earthquake retrofit project, has been reopened on a limited basis. However, renovations are still under way and full service won't be resumed until January.

"We're delighted that we were able to open the Main Library building for limited collection access at the start of fall quarter as promised," said project officer Joan Ariel. "We thank everyone for their cooperation during the closure, and hope for continuing patience and good humor during the ongoing fall quarter construction."

Because renovation work is taking place on the library's first and second floors, no reference or information services will be provided in the building during the fall quarter and no study or research space will be available.

The Main Library reference and government information desk is operating from its temporary location on the fourth floor of the Science Library. The reference collection, government publications, special collections, the Southeast Asian archive and the East Asian collection will remain at their temporary home in the Science Library as will current journals and magazines.

Materials can be retrieved from stacks on the third, fourth and basement levels of the Main Library and checked out at a temporary circulation desk. (Elevator access will be limited during construction.) Photocopies can be made of bound journals and other materials that cannot be removed from the library.

The temporary entrance for the Main Library is on the first floor at the southwest side of the building. Hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The general public is welcome to use materials housed at the temporary locations or the Main Library. Library cards can be purchased for $100 a year ($60 for members of Friends of the Library). For more information, call (949) 824-6842 or check the UCI Libraries website.