Learning Spaces

Kansas State Library Upgrade to Add Group Study Rooms, Event Space and More

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 03/05/18

Kansas State University is drumming up private financial support for a renovation of its main library's first floor. Under the new design Hale Library will offer five new "zones": dedicated to meeting, studying, relaxing, inventing and sharing ideas. Construction on the $6.5 million project is expected to begin in May 2018.

Currently, the university's library system is the only one among the "Big 12" without dedicated rooms that students can reserve for group study. The library hosts 30,000 students a week.

The new first floor will feature multiple tech-equipped study spaces. According to conceptual plans, the renovation will also provide:

• Multiple writing surfaces and "more comfortable furniture" to enable study groups to take notes and work on projects together;
• Spaces for librarians to teach in next to the resources and technology students need;
• Satellite spaces for campus units, such as the Writing Center;
• A flexible multi-purpose event space that will enable the library to hold more lectures, performances, open houses and conferences; and
• A café inside the first-floor entrance with food and drinks.

The project will be paid for entirely by private donors. The lead gift came from Dave and Ellie Everitt, alumni of the university who both serve on a KSU Foundation innovation steering committee.

The architecture and interior design work is being provided by Hoefer Wysocki, which has offices in Kansas City and Dallas. The same firm also designed the foundation's latest headquarters.