What are USJ’s Students Looking For From The Library Renovation?
Written by Samuel Turgeon
On Monday, February 3, I had the pleasure of sitting in on a meeting with Amenta Emma, an architectural group that is looking to renovate USJ’s library. Over the past few months, fundraising has been underway for a renovation of the Pope Pius XII library. The meeting that I attended included 20+ students, who all shared their opinions regarding what changes they’d like to see in the library.
Students raised complaints about a variety of things. Some of the main complaints included that the library isn’t cozy enough in its current state, that the silent areas aren’t truly silent, and that there aren’t enough private study areas. Many students also complained about the echoey main entrance to the library. Students also requested more decoration in the current study rooms, suggesting that their current state is claustrophobic and bland.
Many students seemed to emphasize more modern or geometric designs, wishing for more open work space and increased natural lighting. This surprised me as I’ve always felt that the Georgian-inspired architecture of our campus is rather beautiful.
The presenters from Amenta Emma raised ideas about other uses for the library space. They suggested implementing a maker-space area, and also turning part of the library into a designated welcome center for the campus.
Another issue that arose was whether or not a cafe should be built into the library. Students raised grievances about how there is no easy way to obtain food near the library. Students have to interrupt their studying sessions and hike all the way over to McGovern to acquire food from the Dining Hall or Jays Nest. The presenters expressed a desire to put some kind of food service in the library, but didn’t elaborate on what the extent of this food service would be.
Major changes seem to be underway for the Pope Pius XII library. Hopefully the provided student feedback will be taken into consideration, and the result will be a library that is more comfortable and accommodating for USJ’s students.
Photographs by Samuel Turgeon
