Waldo Library continues to evolve

In March 2024, Waldo Library introduced six new web conference rooms to give students a quiet space for online interviews, classes and meetings. We refreshed these rooms with new furniture, carpeting, whiteboards, and large monitors with webcams, making it easy to connect to online meetings. 

The web conference rooms (Rooms 1008-1013) are located along the red wall in the southwest corner on the first floor. These rooms became available after librarians moved to a centralized location, freeing up the spaces for this project. Students can reserve the web conference rooms online for up to four hours a day, two weeks in advance.

During the spring semester, we consolidated our audio and video collection and moved it to an updated space on the second floor. What used to be the Makerspace is now the Audio Visual Room (Room 2030), which holds most of our audio recordings and a selection of videos. Many of our DVDs are conveniently located along the wall right outside the room.

To make it easier to use the collection, we’ve added a new Media Viewing & Listening Room inside the Audio Visual Room. It’s equipped with DVD, cassette and record players—everything needed to watch the videos and listen to the recordings. 

We recently completed a project to refresh our Multipurpose Room 1070 on the first floor, aiming to make it a more flexible and versatile space. While it’s primarily used for librarian-led instruction, the room is increasingly being utilized by others on campus for student-focused programs.

“We collaborated with University Facilities Management, the Office of Information Technology, and audiovisual consultants to upgrade the technology, enabling more flexible/hybrid instructional options, while also creating a truly multipurpose space that can accommodate a variety of activities,” explains Julie Garrison, dean of University Libraries.

The updated room now features six mounted monitors on the pillars and walls, a large pull-down screen at the front, a new instructor’s station, and portable whiteboards. It’s designed to adapt to various needs, including a mobile furniture layout that seats 36 for instruction use and can accommodate up to 50 people in an auditorium-style arrangement for small talks and lectures.

This past fall semester, we gave Waldo Library’s wayfinding a bit of a makeover by replacing and updating 584 range markers across all four floors. Faith Fetty, our user services manager, led the project, which introduced new range markers with larger, bolder text to make them easier to read. QR codes were also added to the markers, offering a direct link to a floor map for convenient navigation.

To enhance the browsing experience, we posted subject guides for each Library of Congress class as well. 

“Updating the stacks is no small task—it takes a lot of planning and physical effort,” notes Fetty. “We went through several versions of the new signs and tested them with both student employees and patrons to make sure they met everyone’s needs.”

The result? Our stack signage is now much more visible, making it easier than ever for both patrons and library staff to locate materials.

In July, we kicked off a construction project to enhance event and programming space on the third floor. This project will transform the area that housed the University Libraries' Special Collections before they were relocated to the Zhang Legacy Collections Center in 2023. 

Since the move, this space has been used for classes, workshops and activities that promote learning and well-being. This project will create a more flexible space that's better suited for the variety of workshops and events hosted by the Libraries and others from across the University. It will feature an event space for up to 150 people and is expected to be completed in May 2025.

There are more updates planned for 2025, including refreshing spaces with new furniture and carpeting. This will include a multipurpose room and the northeast corner on the lower level; the three study rooms, a cozy nook, and the rotunda seating area on the second floor; and the Meader Room on the third floor.