After 10 years without a major renovation, the UF Architecture & Fine Arts Library was expanded in a $300,000 upgrade.
Renovations, which began around June 29 and finished at the beginning of Fall, include a new office, an updated service desk, a new conference room, more storage space and updated lighting fixtures, Patrick Reakes, associate dean of the scholarly resources and services, wrote in an email.
The new conference room is designed to hold workshops, lectures and special collections. A material library, which displays swatches of different materials for students to feel, was also installed, said librarian assistant Claire Glenn.
“This is something I’ve never seen before,” said Glenn, a 20-year-old UF drawing junior. “The new additions are a much better use of that space.”
The library, which is located on the second floor of the Fine Arts building, remained open during construction, Reakes said.
Ann Lindell, the head librarian at the Architecture & Fine Arts Library, said the architect, from the company Brame Heck Architects, did a great job maintaining the feel of the library.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a refresh and I think it’s kind of our turn,” Lindell said.
Reakes said UF’s scholarly resources and services department plans to make more changes in the future, beginning with a major renovation to the Education Library in late December.
“We feel like this is long overdue,” Reakes said.
The material library, which displays different swatches, was added as part of the renovation.
