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Hale Library Blog

Building update: Familiar spaces, new additions

Posted on by Cailin Riley

We can’t believe that the start of fall semester is next week! Though we’ve encountered many challenges both on campus and throughout the community, the Libraries have forged ahead to ready the building for students as they return to campus and start classes.

Belfor team members stack boxes of books onto carts.
A very exciting piece of news is that the first load of books within the general collection has been moved back into the library! The sorted books were removed from boxes and put on the shelves within the stacks.
A picture of Kay Rieder and the Belfor team in front of shelves of books.
Kay Rieder, a Belfor team leader, poses with several team members in front of the first filled book shelf in Hale Library. Kay and her team have been extremely important to our success with the library materials since the fire two years ago.

Recently, the first floor of Hale Library reopened for the semester, along with the Math/Physics Library. This means that when students return to campus, they will have access to both floors of Hale Library and multiple resources to start classes strong. These resources include access to the IT and Library help desks, computer work stations, printers, study rooms and more.

The first floor of Hale Library looks even better now than it did when it first opened last fall. Joyce and Joe’s Cornerstone Café is nearly finished and has been filled with furniture. The new color-changing fireplace has been cause for much excitement. But don’t worry about the fire itself—it’s fake!

A picture of the cafe, filled with tables and soft seating.
The cafe furniture includes individual tables, a large high-top table and several soft seating areas near the fireplace.
Crew members work on welding the stairs within the Innovation Lab.
Workers are welding the staircase that connects the first and second floors of the future Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab.
A picture of construction equipment and materials within the digital media lab.
The interior rooms and work spaces within the Innovation Lab are being outfitted with new ceiling tile.

Much of the work on floors 1 through 3 the past week or so has revolved around installing carpeting and grinding metal stair pieces for staircases that are currently closed to the public. The third floor, in particular, has made significant progress.

The third floor, fleshed out with ceiling tiles.
The main area of the third floor is looking great and will be ready for carpet soon. This area will be filled with collections and study areas.
The west end of the third floor, with carpeting.
The west end of the third floor is now carpeted. We love how the third floor hallway has a modern look but still includes exposed limestone from the 1955 stacks addition!

It’s been an unusual summer here at the Libraries and K-State for certain, but we are excited to have students back in Hale Library and hope they fall in love with the new spaces as much as we have.

A worker on a lift paints the wall surrounding a Great Room mural.
A worker on a lift works begins to paint the wall surrounding one of the murals in the Great Room. The murals will be fully restored, with work starting this upcoming semester.
One thought on “Building update: Familiar spaces, new additions”

  1. Tears of happiness as my former “home away from home” is being made a “home away from home” once again for so many. Beautiful restoration in so many ways! I cherish all my years spent in Hale and Interlibrary Services.

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