The newly renovated Schlow Centre Region Library may offer students living off campus an alternative to the often crowded and farther away Pattee and Paterno Libraries.

The new library, 211 S. Allen St., opened its doors to the public on Monday after being closed for 15 days to move library materials from a temporary location to its new home at the corner of Allen Street and Beaver Avenue.

Library renovation, which was completed on schedule, cost upward of $10 million, Library Director Betsy Allen said.

She added this library is in a great location.

"It's hard to miss it," Allen said. "Particularly if you live in an apartment, you're going to see the library."

The most important aspect of the new library is the 80 new free parking spots, Allen said, but there are many interior improvements as well. The space was used to include a computer lab, meeting spaces, quiet study rooms for small groups or tutoring, a business resource area, more seating and reading areas and two children's rooms. There is also a self-checkout center, Allen said, but the staff checkout is also improved.

"[The library] is a great place for studying, for getting CDs, videos, DVDs, for playing chess and meeting friends," Allen said.

The new library is a different place for students to get research materials and to take time for pleasure reading, Off-Campus Student Union President Ryan Bennington said.

Students are focused on textbooks and research for class, but this new library will offer other options for students to read fiction and "bring pleasure reading back to the mindset," Bennington said.

"For off-campus students, the new facilities will definitely make it an attractive place to hang out and enjoy reading for a change."

It is close to the apartments, which makes it a better location for most off-campus students than the Pattee and Paterno Libraries, Christina Galchefski, (sophomore-marketing) said.

"It's just a quick, quiet place to go to study," Galchefski said.

Having been to the library's temporary location at 118 S. Fraser St., Tessie Menotti (senior-geosciences) said she sees improvements in the new one.

She said the new library has an aesthetically better environment, such as allowing more natural light to come in.

"I like that it is separate from the university," Menotti said. "It's just a better atmosphere. I never would have studied in the old one."

The library is open Monday to Thursday until 9 p.m., Friday until 6 p.m. and on the weekend until 5 p.m. Opening hours are available on the library Web site, www.schlowlibrary.org.