The new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose will be opening in a few months, just in time for the fall semester. It's a joint project combining the city's main library with San Jose State University's libraries. An eight-story structure with over 475,000 square feet of capacity, it will hold up to two million volumes. To accommodate the dual use, the facility has two main entrances, one facing out towards downtown and the other facing into the university campus.

I took a tour of the library last year, while it was still in the middle of construction. I remember being struck by the sheer size of the building footprint. Because the open areas for stacks were so huge, lighting was a concern. Major efforts were made to draw in as much natural light as possible.

I recall that the view from the top floor was breathtaking. I also remember that none of the elevators had been installed yet. The plans indicate there will be a cafe on the ground floor, a children's room on the mezzanine level and special Beethoven and Steinbeck centers on the fifth floor.

The students who will be using the new library are so lucky. It almost makes me want to return to school.