Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Wright State University students returning to campus this year will see the library transformed with new carpeting and furniture, changes based on a student survey conducted four years ago.
The project to replace the old furnishings, which officials said hadn’t been updated in 20 to 30 years, is being paid for through $1.1 million of about $13.5 million the university received in state funding. The first day of classes for the fall semester is Aug. 26.
WSU librarian Sue Polanka said the investment in the library is a welcome change that will have a positive impact for years to come.
The carpeting was replaced on three floors, and the stairwells were remodeled. More soft seating options are available. There are now bicycle desks and standing desks. There are innovative chairs that allow users to move as research shows benefits of moving while studying, Polanka said.
Polanka said the new furniture came in May, and it was quite the job to coordinate removing the old and installing the new.
“The Sunday after graduation, the movers came and started getting everything out. Coordinating that was amazing because we had thousands of pieces we had to get out, thousands of pieces that had to get in in the same week … It was no small undertaking,” Polanka said.
What students said they wanted most was privacy while studying, and the library now has added cubicles and nine private rooms for a total of 13, seven for individuals and six designed for multiple purposes. Students, staff and faculty can reserve the private rooms for two hours at a time.
