UF’s College of Journalism and Communications is opening a news reading room at Library West.
The Allen H. Neuharth Reading Room will open today at 2 p.m. with a reception to honor the founder of USA Today and Florida Today who made significant contributions to the college.
The room will replace the original library on the first floor of Weimer Hall, which was also named after Neuharth. Furniture from the original library has been washed and will be placed in the new room.
“It’s great because hopefully it tells the students that there is a place for you,” said Patrick Reakes, chair of humanities and social sciences at Library West.
The new reading room, located on the third floor of Library West, will model the old room in size and display, he said.
There will be a big screen TV streaming live news, as well as local and national newspapers and magazines for students to peruse.
Frances Rivera-Pacheco, a 19-year-old UF public relations freshman, said she looks forward to the new reading room but said her only request is that the library staff “make it colorful.”
“Make it something that will inspire students,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 3/10/2014 under the headline "New Lib West room to give study breaks, breaking news"]
