An addition of two floors atop the existing library that extends above the canopy of the surrounding trees. The fifth floor houses general collections, government documents and the building’s mechanical and electrical systems. The sixth floor houses media, music, art, architecture, newspapers, micro-forms, and rare book collections. In addition to the floors, the renovation included updated mechanical and electrical equipment to serve the existing four floors. The mechanical systems included high performance air filtering and temperature/humidity control. Removal of temporary systems installed and utilized since Hurricane Katrina was included in the work. Installation of a fire suppression system throughout the existing library included a combination of two types: (1) a wet [water-based] system as the norm for most areas of the building and (2) a reaction system for the areas of the building that hold rare material. The renovation of the existing facility was executed in phases, allowing continuous occupation of the library and access to its collections during the two-year construction process.