Workers carried in paneling for the construction of new offices, taken March 25.
Lily Reslink|Marlin Chronicle
Renovations add new offices to the Hofheimer Library, part of a larger plan to expand the building’s functions.
Virginia Wesleyan’s library is currently undergoing a makeover. President Scott Miller announced in the weekly Nota Bene on March 17 that changes in the library are underway that will turn the library into a central hub.
According to the Nota Bene, changes include the relocation of Offices for Career Development, Civic Engagement and Service Learning, Global Engagement, Undergraduate Research and Creativity, VWU Online, and Instructional Technology to the library.
Miller said in the Nota Bene, “Construction will begin in the coming weeks, with completion expected by summer 2025. The Athenaeum will be designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and discovery. Key features will include:
- The raised Forum Stage – A flexible space for readings, lectures, panel discussions, and public events.
- Lounge and meeting areas – Comfortable, furnished spaces for receptions, meetings, and informal gatherings.
- Expanded galleries and seminar rooms – Integrating the Neil Britton Gallery, Barclay Sheaks Gallery, and Pruden Seminar Room for exhibitions, lectures, and study.
- A 24-hour study lounge – Featuring a dedicated computer bay for students needing access to e-books and digital resources.”
The space titled “Bank of America Study Concourse,” after
furniture was removed for renovations, taken March 14.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
Office walls began to go up, taken March 25.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
These changes are a result of what President Miller and Provost and Vice President Deirdre Gonsalves-Jackson called the Campus Master Plan Process. The Master Plan Process is, according to the Capital Projects page of the VWU website, a 2016-2026 “master planning process titled ‘Transformation Now!’”
“This Campus Master Plan is a holistic approach that addresses Virginia Wesleyan’s academic mission, future campus requirements, and dedication to sustainability in shaping its physical space.” The page does not mention the Athenaeum in the original plan.
According to the Nota Bene, the Athenaeum is “a modernized learning environment designed to support both academic and professional development. Traditionally, an Athenaeum is a space for studying books and periodicals, but at VWU, it will offer much more.”
To make room for the offices coming in, the layout of the library has been slightly changed. “The leisure reading has been relocated, they’re right over next to the movies and we were creating a pretty user friendly kind of out-of-the-way space there,” Stephen Leist, the head librarian said.
The leisure reading section of the library before changes began, Feb. 24.
Isaac Fick|Marlin Chronicle
Along with the changes to the library comes potential added foot traffic in the library. With additional offices being brought in, more students seeking the added services are expected. Regarding the added foot traffic, Leist reflected back to the effect that COVID-19 had on the campus library.
“Prior to COVID, the foot traffic was a lot heavier and even though covid is several years behind us now, it had some lasting effects. Now we’ve had more students returning to the library here than other campuses are reporting which says something still about how our students see our library and what all they can do here. But we have not seen what it was prior to COVID,” Leist said.
Construction of walls began, taken March 19.
Liam Castellano|Courtesy
Students, however, are not fully convinced of the benefits of the change. Abigail Villacrusis, a senior and tutor in the library, mentioned the inconvenience of the change without students fully understanding what is happening.
“Honestly, I’m just not really sure what they’re doing with the library. I feel like it hasn’t been well advertised what exactly they are doing with the renovation,” Villacrusis said.
“Personally, I don’t love a lot of change, so having that whole area locked off, I have some students that that’s where they go to sit and that’s where I know to meet them so it is a bit of an inconvenience,” Villacrusis said. She said while there are other places to sit in the library, she does not enjoy change when the reason is unclear.
Alex Pleasants, a sophomore, and Jordan Crallé, a junior, expressed concerns with the library regarding how they feel changes like this around campus are affecting the student body.
Walls were put in place and installation of doors began, taken March 27.
McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle
“I feel like with the museum coming up in front of [Beverly Hall], and then now this, our school is getting smaller and smaller for the students and more about the faculty and the donors,” Crallé said.
In reference to student spaces being changed into faculty offices, Pleasants spoke on recent campus changes. “I think what’s important is […] if they’re taking away student spaces they need to add more in some way,” Pleasants said.
With limited information, some students are left not fully understanding what is going on and are having negative responses to the new space.
By Mia Diehl
