This blog details the three-year journey to renovate Hale Library after the May 22, 2018, fire.
This blog has allowed us to share our journey of recovery with the K-State and library communities both near and far. We will never forget the generosity and outpouring of support as we worked to rebuild and create a next-generation library.
As students begin the mad rush to prep for finals week, we took a moment to stop and chat with a few of our staff and faculty who have moved into their new spaces.
Some staff members, particularly those with Library User Services, have been based in Hale Library since last fall to assist with patrons. However, since the upper floors of the building opened in February, more staff and faculty have moved into their new offices.
Everyone is thrilled to be back working with colleagues and students in the same space again!
Stephanie Kiersey, user services specialist, said that it has been nice to see her coworker’s spaces get filled with personal items, adding personality. “Your coworkers make the space,” she said. “Even though I’ve been here since August, it feels more like home when students and other staff are around.”Jason Coleman, head of Library User Services, said that he’s a fan of the renovated building, and that he can’t wait for more students to explore. “It has a wealth of different types of spaces; students can gravitate toward whatever type of study space they need. It’s exciting to see more students studying together and finding their new favorite study spots.”Jesica Sellers, maintenance and repair technician, said that the loading dock at Hale Library has been a real game changer for how Building Services is able to do their work. “After the fire, we were located on the second floor of Dykstra Hall. One of the challenges we faced over there was that we didn’t have access to an elevator and so we had to haul many boxes of all sizes up and down the stairs multiple times a day. Having access to Hale Library’s loading dock has been a huge improvement in both ease of work and efficiency.”
Some staff and faculty mentioned that they feel centered being back in the building, and that it’s easier to coordinate and focus on tasks when they have a dedicated space to do so. Many joked about how after a year of attempting to work with kids and pets jumping on them at home, getting back to the office couldn’t come soon enough!
Tara Coleman, web services librarian and the coordinator for the Dow Center for Multicultural and Community Studies, is excited to soon begin to flesh out the center’s second floor space, which will provide a welcoming space for students, faculty and staff to explore human diversity. “The DOW area is so accessible now; it’s a clean slate,” Coleman said. “I have so many ideas, and I can’t wait to make it a place where different groups can showcase their work.”Kimberlie Bugbee, user services specialist an alumnae of K-State, said she has a lot of memories of Hale Library, and therefore it means a lot to her to see current students enjoying the historic spaces. “There is a sense of excitement,” she said. “It’s great to see students collaborating together and making use of the space.”“In our field, problem solving is important, and so it’s been much easier to work together when we’re all in the same room,” said Renee Gates, IT coordinator, about being back in the library. “And having fast internet doesn’t hurt either,” added Derek Cox, IT support specialist II. Katie Lynn, acquisitions librarian, said that moving back into the renovated building provided a unique opportunity for metadata, preservation and acquisitions staff. “Ironically, our department got closer and worked more cohesively after the fire because we ended up all in Unger Hall together,” she said. “When we came back to Hale Library, we got to choose our pods in a way that allowed us to stay connected and keep workflows that we established while at Unger.”
While not everyone has returned to in person work yet, we are so excited to have many staff and faculty back in Hale Library working and interacting with each other on a regular basis. Nothing quite beats a friendly staff member when you walk in the door!
Last week, the first phase of the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab opened. K-State Libraries and the Division of Information Technology have been working together to bring this dream to life over the past few years. We are very excited to see students and staff in the new space!
The Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab will open in phases; the lab is scheduled to fully open this fall.
The first phase includes the opening of the media studio and equipment checkout areas. The media studio, located on the first floor of the lab, includes Macs and PCs with the Adobe Creative suite and video editing software. The space also includes large format scanning. At the equipment checkout desk on the second floor, K-State students and staff can currently borrow items such as laptops, projectors, cameras and cell phone tripods.
Both spaces are currently operating under special COVID-19 protocols. Computers are spaced out for social distancing and some equipment is not available for checkout.
Friendly student workers at the second floor equipment checkout can help K-State students and staff borrow the technology they need for projects.The media studio includes several Macs and PCs with a variety of special software, including the Adobe Creative Suite.
This is just the first phase of several installments of advanced technology. When the Innovation Lab fully opens next fall, K-Staters will have access to even more awesome areas, including makerspaces, video production studios, a virtual reality room and more.
This area, not yet open, will become the low-tech makerspace. The space will feature sewing machines, maker kits, soldering irons and a variety of hand tools, including hammers, drills and other building supplies.Through the Innovation Lab’s first floor window, you can see books filling the shelves of the Virginia Carlson Family Reading Room.
The Innovation Lab is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and all are welcome to come explore the space. Knowledgeable staff are available to help answer questions and direct patrons to resources.
We also want to remind our readers that you are invited to join us on April 15 at 6:30 p.m. for the Tale of Hale, a virtual ribbon cutting and official re-opening celebration of Hale Library. This storytelling event will feature narration by proud K-Staters, including Dean of Libraries Lori Goetsch and K-State President Richard Myers.
You can RSVP online for this event at ksufoundation.org/rsvp/libraries/ or by calling (785)775-2040. The viewing link and details will be sent following your registration.
