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.
While Hale Library was originally scheduled to open all floors on Jan. 25, we needed just a little more time to finalize construction. The first floor is currently open, and we plan to open the remaining floors Feb. 8.
However, the building is very close to being ready. We were even able to provide our staff and Friends of the K-State Libraries Board of Directors with a sneak peek of the spaces.
In addition to final construction activities, workers have been busy unpacking and setting up new furniture throughout the building. Due to some delays in furniture arrivals and the need to space out furniture for social distancing, much of the furniture is not in its permanent location.
The Great Room is ready for visitors once again! New tables and chairs are in place after the fire destroyed the previous furniture. We have also added lots of electrical outlets, a major issue for students in the past.Due to delays on some of the new furniture and the COVID-19 pandemic, furniture has been spaced out throughout the library. Here, some of the new Great Room furniture temporarily sits in the new Virginia Carlson Family Reading Room on the first floor.A few pieces of furniture from before the fire were able to be salvaged and cleaned. These large tables were a favorite of students looking to spread out their papers, textbooks and laptop while they studied. They are now located on the fourth floor.More computer stations have been set up on third and fourth floors. This set of computer desks on fourth floor gets a lot of great natural light.
In addition to furniture set up, we continue to make progress reshelving our collections. Much of the music and art collection are now back on bookshelves in Hale Library. When Hale Library opens on Feb. 8 any materials that are shelved can be checked out. The reshelving process will continue throughout the semester.
Debbie Wasinger, accounting specialist, reads the call numbers on the books to confirm that they are in the correct order. We call this shelf reading. The collection is shelf read at our staging facility before being returned to Hale, and is then shelf read again at Hale Library to make sure users will be able to find what they need.
We were excited to offer our current and former staff members a tour of the spaces before we open to the public. Many of our current and former employees had never seen the new spaces. Several tours were offered over a two day period so small groups could properly social distance.
A tour group led by Associate Dean Mike Haddock toured the completely restored Great Room.Here, another group stops at the Great Room entrance in the expanded foyer. One of the two graduate student study rooms can be seen in the background behind the glass walls. Tara Marintzer, senior graphic designer, stands in front of her future desk. Several staff members were excited to get a first look at their new office spaces. In addition to staff, some of the Friends of the Libraries Board of Directors also got a sneak peek of the new spaces. They were particularly excited to see the Great Room.The Friends Board also got a look at The Friends of the K-State Libraries Instruction Room, which was made possible by donations to the Friends. The large instruction room will provide a space for librarians to teach research skills to K-State students.
We are excited for others to soon explore all that Hale Library has to offer. As many tour attendees told us, the pictures are great, but they don’t do it justice. You have to see it for yourself.
