The creation of a wireless internet café and study lounge and modernization of the circulation desk in the library, supported by a $350,000 grant from The George I. Alden Trust, is slated to begin this month.
“The library is such an integral part of any college campus,” said Worcester State College President Janelle Ashley. “This project will make the library more inviting and comfortable for our students — and library patrons in our community.”
This project is part of an extensive revitalization of the library’s second floor that will begin following Commencement and end in mid-August. When completed, students will be greeted by a new circulation desk to the right of the main entrance and to the left will be the café, which will include a coffee shop run by Chartwells, two conference areas with flat-screen TVs, and numerous soft chairs and assorted café tables and chairs. “We are delighted that this new environment will provide much needed study and work space for our students working on group projects. It will be a great place to meet or to work independently with a cup of coffee,” said Ashley.
A walk to the right of the new circulation desk will take visitors to a new children’s library, replacing what is now the periodicals section. This aims to meet the programming needs of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle/Secondary Education students. The area will welcome both adults and young children, support youth reading programs, and provide space for classes or study groups.
The rest of the main floor will be filled with new library stacks and plenty of soft seating as well as study carrels and group work tables. This section is expected to gain 670 linear feet of shelving for our library collection.
While the Alden grant covers the café installation and circulation desk reconstruction, funds from the college budget and federal stimulus bill will be tapped to renovate the other areas.