Multi-million dollar renovations have been planned for all three floors of the Learning Resource Center (LRC) in a phased approach over two years starting with the Lydia M. Olson Library in 2019.
The renovations are expected to come in at around $5.8 million and will begin at the soonest in summer of 2019, said Project Manager Brandon Sager, assistant director of engineering and planning facilities.
“The plans go back a few years. It started as a carpet, furniture, and shelving project and expanded from there,” Sager said.
The impetus for the renovations were student complaints and the need to bring the building up to date, Sager said, adding, “This project is about creating a more attractive area in the LRC for students and learning.”
Although the renovations are still in the planning phase and won’t be submitted for final approval for several months, Leslie Warren, dean of academic information services, believes all planned updates will benefit students and the university .
“The space isn’t meeting current [student and staff] needs,” she said.
The earliest renovations will be new entry doors installed in the facility during winter break. The other larger renovations will not be seen until the project is approved and the two-year plan takes effect, Warren said.
Sager said the renovations include moving the language, writing and tutoring center to the main floor to create a “learning commons” for students.
The circulation desk will also be relocated and the space will be used to make room for other academic support services.
The digital media tutoring center will also be given a new space that will make it much easier to access and use, Sager said. Warren said lighting and electricity is one of the biggest student complaints about the LRC. All lighting in the LRC will be replaced to make it more bright and comfortable for students and outlets will be added throughout the facility as well to give students easier access for charging devices, Warren said.
“The building was built in the late 1960s, so it doesn’t have the best options for that currently ,” she added.
Another plan is to make the space in the LRC conducive to all types of studying, Warren said. The space will be restructured to provide both better group and quiet study areas.
The third floor will have group study rooms for students who need to have discussions and work on group projects without fear of disturbing individuals or breaking library rules, Sager added.
“The glass-enclosed room on the third floor overlooking the academic mall will be a quiet room,” Sager said.
The study rooms will be separated by enough space that there will be no problems with one disturbing the other.
Sager said the carpet, furniture and shelving will be done in the last stages of the project but will be one of the most immediately notable changes to the building.
