library was officially opened at Stonington campus.

Completion of the $6 million building leaves only two more buildings -- the academic building for arts and science students and a technology building - to be constructed at the South Shore, Paget.

The construction of the library, which will have a bookstore and resource centre below it, also means more students will be able to move from the College's original Roberts Avenue site in Devonshire to Stonington.

"At the moment about half the students are at the Roberts Avenue campus, and some of them are only there because they need to be close to the library,'' College spokeswoman Mrs. Jan Doidge said when the building was under construction. "When the library moves here, they will be able to move as well.'' The 24,000-square-foot library only has about a 30,000-volume collection. But the College's Board of Governors plan to eventually increase this to 100,000.

Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons -- who was at the official opening on Tuesday with College retiring president Dr. Archie Hallett, college staff and some who helped to establish the 18-year-old institution -- noted that a library is "in many ways the heart of a learning institution''.

"Even in facilities which were less than ideal, the commitment and the dedication of the administration and staff of the College have contributed to the academic and vocational preparation of a significant number of young Bermudians during the past 18 years since the Bermuda College was established,'' he said.

"I am aware of the frustration experienced by the College because it did not have space to set out many of the volumes which it had purchased for the library,'' Mr. Simons said.

"...the explosion of knowledge has been such that it is less important even at the secondary level to have students memorise information than it is for them to learn how to locate relevant information when it is needed.

"An adequate library at the College will serve such a need and I should add that it is Government's plan that students at the secondary level will also have access to adequate libraries where they will gain the foundation skills which can be built upon at the College.'' Mr. Simons said he was also pleased with the goal of the Board of Governors to increase that number of volumes to 100,000.

"This is a number which is reasonable if the College is going to provide opportunities for its students to develop the kind of research skills which they will need to be successful when they transfer to other institutions of higher learning,'' he said.

And he urged the community to support the library and view it as a centre to support the research of persons who may not be in attendance at the College.

UNLOCKING THE HEART OF THE COLLEGE - Retiring Bermuda College president Dr.

Archie Hallett performed one his last, but most significant, duties at the college on Tuesday when he offically opened the new library with Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons.