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Hale Library Blog

Building update: We’re almost there!

Posted on by Cailin Riley

We’re nearing the end of November, which means that we are only about two months away from completing the renovation of Hale Library!

All floors of the library will open on January 25, 2021. As we get closer to that exciting date, construction continues and many spaces within the building are nearing completion or having final touches added. Stacks A through C have been completely filled with books and staff are now working on filling Stack D.

On the fifth floor, carpeting is being added to the administrative suites and the Special Collections reading room. We are especially thrilled to see the finished construction of the reading room desk, where visitors will check in with staff to use special collections’ materials. Crew members also have delivered wood lockers that can hold patrons’ personal items while they research.

A picture of a crew member installing baseboard in the Special Collections reading room.
Crew members are installing baseboard and the wooden lockers in the Special Collections reading room.
A picture of the desk in the Special Collections reading room.
While the counter space is newly constructed, the darker-colored wooden desk to the right is the original Special Collections reading room desk. The newly constructed Kenneth S. Davis Seminar Room is located on the other side of the windows. 

On the third floor, lockers have been installed in the graduate student study rooms and progress has been made on the event and gallery space outside the Great Room. Nearly all the new shelving on the upper floors has been installed as well.

A picture of new light fixtures and Masonite covering the terrazzo floor in the event gallery.
New lighting has been installed in the event and gallery space on the third floor before entering the Great Room. The terrazzo floor is currently covered with a protective layer of masonite. 
A picture of shelving being installed on the fourth floor.
Last week, crew members were working on installing shelving on the fourth floor. Shelving installation on both the third and fourth floors is nearly complete.

Further plaster repair is in the works on the first and second floors of the Historic Farrell Library. At the east end of the second floor, workers recently finished staining the original woodwork and doors.

Crew members work to repair plaster on the first floor of Historic Farrell Library.
Crew members work to repair plaster on the first floor of Historic Farrell Library. This space will be the Virginia Carlson Family Reading Room. It will house the juvenile literature and curriculum materials collection in addition to study space.
A picture of stained woodwork and doors at the east end of the second floor in Historic Farrell Library.
The stained woodwork and doors at the east end of the second floor in Historic Farrell Library will provide a beautiful entrance to the Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies. 
A picture of the completed Great Room murals.
The restoration of the Great Room murals is complete and crew members are clearing construction materials from the room in preparation for carpet installation.

The first floor of Hale Library will be open during dead week and finals week. After that, the library will close as construction wraps up. We will then begin the tedious and exciting task of installing the furniture and technology for the third through fifth floors and the three floors of Historic Farrell Library. We expect everything to be ready the first day of spring semester classes, except for the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab, which will require a bit more time to get all the technology ready. The first phase of the Innovation Lab is scheduled to open in March 2021.

We wish everyone a safe fall break and Thanksgiving. We at the Libraries are forever grateful for all those who have made the renovation and restoration of Hale Library a possibility.