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Library gets a facelift

After years of poor reviews, the Cullom Davis Library will finally undergo a major renovation this summer, the first since 1990.

This year’s renovations will primarily concern the first and second floors.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while,” Library Executive Director Barbara Galik said. “In 2013, we had a company come in, and they polled the students about the different issues of the library. This year’s renovations draw from that company’s analysis and from how the students voted in the poll.”

Galik said access to power outlets was a major concern of students.

“The renovations will create more electrical outlets and make more outlets available in the center of the floors,” Galik said. “There’s something called a power tower, and we’ll be having those close to the tables so people can plug in.”

Galik said the renovations will include aesthetic updates as well.

“We used the same designer who worked on Westlake,” Galik said. “The library is going to pop with color: burgundy, teal, blue and yellow will be added to the building’s palette. New carpeting will also be put down.”

Student Senate’s Vice President of Academic Affairs Olga Krapivner said the renovations will create a more open and collaborative field on the first and second floor.

“All the furniture is going to be brand new [and] modern, and it’ll be on wheels in order for students to push things together and pull them apart depending on the type of study area they want,” Krapivner, a junior political science major, said. “Some of the walls and tables will act as white board surfaces. There will also be rolling whiteboards that students can connect together.”

According to Interim Provost Joan Sattler, the library has a very good collection, but the value of the learning environment is even more important.

“Libraries are becoming quite different these days,” Sattler said. “Much of the collection is becoming digital so now the library is becoming a place for snacks, for hanging out, for preparing for class and for doing study groups. I think students are using the library differently than students did in the past, and the renovations are trying to reflect that.”

 

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