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.
As everyone at K-State begins to settle into the new semester, we are taking exciting steps with the restoration of the Great Room. After months of cleaning, repairing, sanding and staining the wood from the Great Room ceiling, the first pieces have now made their way back to their original location.
Once the wood was cleaned and repaired, Phil Crabb, an employee of Riley Construction, joined the project to sand and stain the wood. He has been in the wood refinishing business for decades. After working on other projects, including historic Noble House in Wichita, Kan., Crabb says he wasn’t afraid to take on the task of restoring Hale Library’s Great Room woodwork.
“I walked in here and it was just piles of wood. Many of which have already been moved up from the floor. So it’s been stacked deep in here. I said this is an opportunity, it’s a challenge and it’s going to be a lot of fun. And every single day has been outstanding.”
Crabb, a well-rounded professional of the decorative arts, employed several skills for this project, including staining and refinishing woodwork to give it a nice, dark glossy look that matches the historic atmosphere of the room and architecture.Crabb examines some of the wood on the Great Room ceiling. Once all the wood is put back in place, Crabb is in charge of handling any minor repairs and giving everything an extra coat of varnish by hand.
Some of the wood pieces in the Great Room were rotted and many needed repairs. Crabb says that after the wood was stripped, cleaned and sanded, they faced a new challenge: The wood would not stain correctly.
“The situation was that the restorationists had almost cleaned it too well. And so, all this wood, when stained, in our samples, would not take the dark stain. I took two weeks to make samples, and I’d be sitting there putting stain on, waiting for 20 minutes to wipe it off, and it still wouldn’t be dark enough.”
After the May 2018 fire, the wood in the Great Room was badly damaged by water and several pieces were cracked.
And so, Crabb turned to water popping, a process that uses water to reopen the grains of the wood to better allow it to stain without any blotches or different-colored spots. The process requires dunking each wood piece in water to soak it, then letting it dry for a least two hours before staining. After using 110 gallons of distilled water, the woodwork turned out beautiful Crabb says.
Several acorn finials sit after receiving a coat of varnish. Crabb says he is grateful for the work of the carpentry crew headed by master carpenters Ralph Lee, Ivan Smith, Claude Crawford and Brain Hauck.All the wood pieces of the Great Room were meticulously labeled as they were removed, so that they can be put back in the exact same place.Crews have started the incredible process of reconstructing the large beams and installing them back on the Great Room ceiling.
Crabb’s mother, Mary Anne McNamee, was a 1943 graduate of K-State who loved the Great Room and studied there often. Additionally, Crabb says he also has a special connection with the Great Room that has made this project all the more meaningful to him.
“I’m not a graduate here, but I’m an alumni in the sense that I’ve taken several courses. I used to go and read in the great room, in Hale room 308, and you know, you get up from your reading and you take a look at the antiquarian books, you look at the murals. There’s something about tall ceilings in roomy environments that’s really good for the mind.”
It’s a new year, we are 20 months post-fire and we just started the spring 2020 semester at K-State. We are feeling energized! Over the course of this year we will watch as Hale Library nears the finish line of a two and a half year recovery, restoration and renovation project. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we are amazed at the progress made in just the last few months.
On Dec. 11, 2019 several workers installed the ceiling on the West end of the second floor.On the same date, the East end of the second floor was almost ready for flooring installation.Just a few weeks later on Dec. 26, 2019 the second floor was looking fresh and clean with new carpet throughout. Most of second floor is scheduled to open after Spring Break. On the other side of this glass wall, there will be new help desks for both library and IT help. Previously, these two help desks were in separate locations. Now it will be easier than ever for our users to find help. (Jan. 13, 2020)
Up on the third floor, construction has started on a new 60-person classroom for library instruction. The large instruction room is made possible through fundraising efforts by the Friends of the K-State Libraries.
On Dec. 11, 2019 the large instruction room was starting to take shape, literally. The outside of the instruction room with have a unique ellipse shape.Fast forward to Jan. 9, 2020 and the classroom is now enclosed with drywall.Behind the temporary walls on the first floor, work continues on Joyce and Joe’s Cornerstone Cafe. On Dec. 6, plumbing was roughed in for the new cafe.The plaster repair work has begun in the historic 1927 portion of the building. Here, three workers repair the ceiling on the second floor of Historic Farrell Library. (Jan. 2, 2020)On Jan. 8, 2020, a worker repairs plaster near the ceiling of the Great Room. It is estimated that all the plaster repairs will take about six months to complete.Also in the Great Room, workers prepped the ceiling for the return of restored wood. In our next blog post we will detail this exciting process that has been months in the making.
While no one really enjoys finals week, there has always been something special about time spent cramming for final exams with fellow students and friends inside the walls of Hale Library. But for the previous two semesters the building hasn’t been available. That all changed this week when students spent their first finals week back in Hale since the May 2018 fire.
The week started with a bang as the first heavy snow of the season fell in Manhattan on Sunday. By Monday morning it officially looked like winter at Hale Library.A little (or a lot in this case) snow couldn’t keep the students away. Hale Library was packed with students studying with their classmates for final exams.Just like we used to do, the Libraries provided and coordinated donations of food and coffee to bring a smile to tired and hungry students.Pizza, fruit, sweet tea, coffee, hot cocoa and more were all on the menu to help students power through long study sessions.When the Personal Financial Planning Program heard that Dr. Kelly Welch used to show up at Hale with pizza for students, they decided to step in and take on the role.Libraries staff wrote messages of encouragement on cookies and handed them out around Hale Library.A large group of students studying for their psychology exam on Tuesday morning were excited for the sweet treat and words of support.We also caught sophomore Mackenzie Giefer studying for the same psychology exam. She was at Hale until 3 a.m. and then back at it just a few hours later.The plethora of white boards in the new Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons were put to good use this week. Everywhere you looked white boards were filled with course content from various disciplines.In addition to white boards, students were also utilizing the large monitors to make the most of their study sessions.
Here’s hoping all of your hard work paid off this semester. We look forward to having even more space open in Hale for spring semester finals. Enjoy your well-deserved winter break!
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on the progress of the upper floors at Hale Library. The third, fourth and fifth floors are in varying stages of construction, but no matter where you look you can see progress.
As we make our way up through the building, third floor is currently one of the most active construction areas.
Construction crews work on office space on the North side of Hale on the third floor.Towards the East end of third floor, a line on the floor outlines the location of a new, large classroom for library instruction. Beyond this classroom will be books and quiet study space.Dozens of workers can be seen throughout the third floor. This crew was set up towards the Southeast end of the floor.
As we move up to the fourth floor, much of the space is utilized as a wood shop to repair and restore the wood from the third floor Great Room.
Dean of Libraries, Lori Goetsch, and Associate Dean, Mike Haddock, get an update about the progress with the wood repairs in the middle of the fourth floor.In another portion of fourth floor large wood beams sit ready to be stained. Each piece of wood is carefully labeled so it can return to the same location in the Great Room.A worker restores one of the wood acorns that adorned the ceiling in the Great Room.Workers have started to stain some of the wood including this acorn that will return to the ceiling of the Great Room.
The Academic Learning Center (ALC) will go back to their same fourth floor location towards the Northwest end of the fourth floor. The ALC is a partnership between K-State Libraries and K-State Athletics that provides space for student athletes to receive academic support including one-on-one tutoring.
The entrance to the ALC on the fourth floor overlooks the foyer outside the Great Room which will include a new exhibit space. The “We Are the Dream” mural that was located on the back wall of the ALC has been taken down, cleaned and restored. Once construction is complete, it will return to its original location.
And lastly, the fifth floor, which saw the least amount of damage, will receive a few upgrades. In addition to new carpet and ceiling the Libraries will create a new digitization lab thanks to a generous contribution from the Butler Family Community Foundation.
The new digitization lab will allow the Libraries to scan and preserve rare and unique materials from the Richard L. D. and Marjorie J. Morse Department of Special Collections. Those items would then be available online for anyone to view.
A new seminar room will also be added for the Morse Department of Special Collections. Previously, staff had to conduct instruction in the middle of their reading room where other patrons were also conducting research.
The new special collections seminar room will be located on the other side of this wall. It will provide needed instruction space for classes and groups using special collections material.
We are incredibly thankful for the gifts that have made this progress possible. It is exciting to think that at this time next year, we might be sitting in a fully renovated Hale Library! Support is still needed to fund improvements to Hale Library. On this Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3), consider a gift to Help for Hale and support our renovation efforts.
Most of Hale Library’s second floor is scheduled to open during the spring 2020 semester. We took a peek at the progress and could tell the new space is really starting to take shape!
This floor plan shows some of the exciting new features planned for the second floor. The Info Commons, shaded in purple, will be open this spring and include nearly 100 computers.
Since there is now a direct entrance to the first floor, we are moving the second floor entrance a little further to the West. This will allow us to re-purpose some space for seating, create a better pathway to our help desks and shorten the distance of the hallway leading into the building.
Here you can see where the new entrance is located for the second floor. The former hallway to the East of the new entrance will be used for additional seating. This was previously the entrance to the second floor. Soft seating will be added to the new space with plenty of natural light from the gorgeous arched window.The beautiful, high ceilings and original light fixtures in the new seating area will also add to its appeal.
When students walk into the second floor they will immediately see our new Library and IT Help desks. These two services will now be co-located providing campus with more convenience and better assistance.
The Library and IT Help desks will be located directly across from the new entrance. In addition, new consultation rooms will provide spaces for staff to work with patrons on in depth questions. This wider shot shows the Library and IT Help desks in relation to the rest of floor. On the left side of the photo is the East wall of the stacks. Similar to the first floor, we will expose the limestone walls and add more white boards.The East end of the second floor will be filled with computer stations and study tables with additional seating next to the windows.While most of the drywall is up on the second floor, construction continues throughout this floor and the three floors above it. We’ll have more on that in our next post!How many gallons of paint do you think it will take to paint the walls in Hale? Lots of paint has already gone up on second floor.
Just for fun, we also took a peek inside the new cafe space on the first floor. Joyce and Joe’s Cornerstone Cafe will also open during the spring 2020 semester.
The stonework is complete on the fireplace feature. The tape on the floor is actually the pattern for the ceiling, which will utilize salvaged wood from Hale Library.
In other exciting news, we announced yesterday that the first floor Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons will begin 24/5 hours starting Sun., Nov. 3. This is another service made possible by renovation efforts. We could not be more thrilled to bring this service back for K-State students. Happy studying!
We are in the thick of the fall semester, and the Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons on the first floor of Hale Library has been busy with students working on projects and studying for exams. In fact, during the last few weeks the first floor has averaged more than 7,600 visits each week.
New signage was installed welcoming students to the Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons.
The experience of returning to Hale Library felt like coming home for those students who were at K-State before the fire.
Kevin is a junior studying secondary education and said he used to spend up to six hours a day in Hale before the fire. “I was pretty overwhelmed when Hale first opened up again,” he said. “I reminisced about the good times I’ve had here. The first hour or two after it was open and already seeing whiteboards full of equations, it was awesome.”
We’re paying close attention to how students are using the new spaces to help us plan for the rest of the building. In fact, a team of librarians are conducting an assessment study. They record student use of the space multiple times each day. This data helps us understand which areas and types of furniture are the most heavily utilized. The results will impact the remaining floors.
One feature that has been a big hit with students is the abundance of whiteboards, some of which stretch from floor to ceiling.
Macie, a junior in pre-nursing, said she is excited about all the new whiteboard space on the first floor. “The whiteboards are great! I’m in human body so it’s great to have the space to write and draw the pathways of the body,” she said.
Ah, yes. Biology 341. Perhaps no one gets as much use out of the whiteboards as these students. But, do they really need floor to ceiling whiteboards? Students like Danielle have found them useful!
Danielle, a junior at K-State, explained that this massive diagram was for her biology class.
The Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons also includes new technology. Dozens of large monitors are spread throughout the floor that students can connect to their devices.
Chance is a junior majoring in construction science. While working on his estimating homework Chance told us that having multiple screens makes it easier.
While students are excited about the first floor of Hale, they can’t wait to see the rest of the library. Students are looking forward to the new quiet floors that will be located on the third and fourth floors.
Nestor, a junior studying business, thinks the new library has a fresh feel and is excited for the other floors to open. “I’m looking forward to a new quiet area…like the Great Room coming back,” he said. “All the buildings were packed last semester. I’m glad Hale is back.”
The second floor of Hale Library is scheduled to open during the spring semester. The rest of the building should be complete by the end of 2020. Support is still needed to for the remaining restoration and renovation of Hale Library. Donate online to the Help for Hale fund!
A few short weeks ago, we opened the Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons on the first floor of Hale Library. As we watched students walk through the doors for the first time we saw lots of jaws dropping, many audible gasps, and we even witnessed a few tears of happiness.
Students walk through the Sunflower Entrance doors for the first time on August 28, 2019. Prior to the renovation, this was a wall with windows which caused many a student great confusion about how you actually got into the library.
Since the opening, Hale Library has been bustling with students thankful for the new space to study and collaborate. These spaces wouldn’t be possible without the 2,400 donors that have given to the project so far.
Blanca (left) a senior in kinesiology and Emireth a junior in biology say they are grateful to have the first portion of their library back. “It really does affect our grades and schoolwork,” said Blanca. Emireth added that a lot of students find it distracting to study at home, so they turn to Hale Library.A sign at the entrance of Hale Library thanks Dave and Ellie Everitt for their generous contribution. The Everitts provided the lead gift for the first floor renovation.
Now that the first floor has opened, the Libraries must turn their attention to the remaining four floors which still require philanthropic support to create spaces as impactful as the first floor. Donations can be made online to support the renovation and restoration of the rest of the building.
Plans for the next phases of the renovation include restoring the Great Room, creating new graduate student study rooms, and improved infrastructure throughout the building. The project will also turn the first and second floors of Historic Farrell Library into beautiful reading rooms with unique collections and tons of natural light. Previously these spaces were taken up by office cubicles and tall bookshelves with minimal seating.Kevin, a sophomore studying architecture said he feels that buildings like Hale Library can make a difference for students. “I believe buildings and places have an impact on student psychology and their emotions,” he said.
The Friends of the K-State Libraries have also been strong supporters of the renovation efforts with $250,000 dedicated to the project to date. Since 1984 the Friends have advocated for a strong library system that enriches the student and faculty experience. The Friends have dedicated their efforts over the past several years towards raising funds for improvements to Hale Library. The Libraries and K-State students are grateful for their efforts.
Taylee just finished her B.A. in English at K-State and is now in her first year of graduate school. She describes Hale Library like a community and a home. “There’s always somebody here that I can come and talk to and cry, or take a nap, or do homework, or eat lunch. I can do anything here, which is nice. Away from my actual home where I get distracted.”
