Washington and Lee University, Magazine of the University Library Fall 2020

Page 9

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Moving from the Disco Era into the Information Age

KT VAUGHAN & ELIZABETH TEAFF

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ompleted in 1979, Leyburn Library remained largely unaltered into the 21st century, with the exception of a main floor renovation completed in 2009 and improvements to Northen Lobby finished in 2017. Now, Leyburn Library welcomes additional renovations while preparing to serve as the home for the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning. Plans for Lower Level 1 spaces include a new Writing Center, a classroom/meeting room with glass moveable walls overlooking Woods Creek, an experimental classroom, a video editing space, offices for the Harte Center and Academic Technologies, a Special Collections classroom, and spaces to support various forms of study. While the Harte Center will reside on Leyburn Library’s Lower Level 1, both Lower Levels 1 and 2 are undergoing construction. Lower Level 2 will be the new location of our Collection Services department and will receive a brand-new classroom. In addition to the creation of new spaces, this partial renovation allows Leyburn to better meet student needs in today’s information age. Construction on this project started in earnest during the summer of 2020. Although slightly delayed due to various factors, including the pandemic, we are on course to open the spaces for the Fall 2021 term. Turn the page to view what we’ve done so far, and what will happen during 2021. Continued on page 8 Top image: Scaffolding ascends Leyburn Library’s Woods Creek facing exterior, providing an entry point for construction on Lower Level 2. Right image: As construction coincided with the pandemic, the university set protocols to ensure the safety of construction crews and W&L community members. At various times, these included the designation of constructiononly spaces and reminders to social distance.

FOLIOS FALL 2020 FOLIOS Spring 2017

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