The Reading Room & Special Collections

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The Need

The Library’s majestic Reading Room, approximately 4,000 square feet, is located in prime space on the Library’s second floor. It is extremely popular with students who congregate there for quiet individual and group study. The Reading Room’s twin, the Peggy V. Helmerich Browsing Room, has already been beautifully renovated and furnished.

Entering the Library from the south, the elegant grand staircase is framed with Italian marble columns and takes visitors up to the second floor. The wide and stately corridor connecting the Reading Room and Browsing Room will be renovated to create an area to house and display special collections and provide seating. Space will be enclosed with glass walls similar to the existing Bost and Cobb rooms to expand the Special Collections department allowing the Library to showcase some of its unique items and provide a visible and attractive public consultation space. Furnishings and design for this space will reflect the quiet elegance of this portion of the building.

The renovation and refurbishment of the Reading Room will include expanded electrical capacity to accommodate computer and networking demands and enhanced lighting, upgrade furnishings such as new tables with integrated lighting and laptop friendly stations, add window treatments to help regulate temperature, and other details necessary to provide an efficient, effective, and attractive study space for students.

The Opportunity

A gift of $1.3 million will make this project possible. The Reading Room and the Special Collections area will be named in honor of the donor with appropriate recognition of the donor made within the rooms. Total funds spent on the renovation and furnishing will not exceed $1,000,000. The remaining $300,000 will be endowed for the continuing upkeep and maintenance of these two rooms so that they will always reflect positively on the donor and the University.

The Renovation and Endowment of the Edmon Low Library Reading Room and Special Collections Area aligns with the OSU Strategic Goal to provide a stimulating, responsive, and effective environment for student learning, and academic achievement. This project directly supports the University’s strategic theme of Academic Instruction by supporting collaborative learning experiences, outfitting the Library to better meet diverse learning needs, and offering rich educational opportunities.

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