Kansas State University

Next week is finals week.

While students are buckling down in study spots across campus, we’re feeling nostalgic. If you ever wanted to capture the spirit of Hale Library pre-fire, you couldn’t find a better time than a Sunday or Monday during finals week.

Every table was packed, and every white board was crammed with notes and diagrams. The building itself seemed to hum with the sound of K-Staters prepping for exams or finishing papers.

This week we look back on some of the end-of-semester moments in which — it felt to us — Hale Library lived its fullest life.

Granted, there are K-Staters who used the building all year long, day in, day out, who claimed that finals week was for amateurs. We loved it, though, because during finals week the hard work and the camaraderie were writ large. It was on display at every table, on every floor … and sometimes even on the floor.

Unexpected special guests would stop by. Sometimes it was Willie Wildcat, or at the end of the fall semester, it might be a brass band playing holiday carols. Prof. Kelly Welch from Family Studies used to show up with dozens of pizzas that she distributed to surprised and grateful students.

Willie fills in at Library Help. May 9, 2016.

Local businesses Einstein Bros. Bagels, Jimmy Johns, Mr. Goodcents,  Bluestem and Varsity Donuts regularly donated food. The lines stretched the length of the second floor as students took a break for snacks, caffeine and words of encouragement from our library employee volunteers.

Last May, the KSU Foundation donated goodie bags that we distributed across Hale Library’s five floors.

All of this is to say that we are keenly aware that it’s finals week once more, and we’re sad that we’re not all in Hale together.

Of course, students can still contact a librarian for help with research, and they can check out their textbooks on reserve at Library Help in the K-State Union,  and they can interlibrary loan whatever they need for their final papers.

And behind the scenes, we’ll be planning for a glorious return to Hale Library in fall 2019 when the Dave & Ellie Everitt Learning Commons opens on the first floor.

We’re looking forward to it so much. And we’ll be sure it’s equipped with so many white boards, group study spaces and all of the outlets students need for their laptops and phones — you won’t believe how many outlets!

Until then, good luck on finals, Wildcats! Everyone at K-State Libraries is cheering for you!