The Samuel C. Williams Library will close December 26 for a major renovation and remain closed until the start of the Fall 2027 semester. The project will add seats and electrical outlets, upgrade Wi-Fi and accessibility, and install new lighting and acoustics.
Library Director Linda Beninghove said much of the work addresses the building’s age. “Built in 1969, the library has a leaking roof and an HVAC system that must be replaced,” she said. “The library building was built prior to the advent of mobile phones, laptops, and personal computers, so we need more electrical outlets throughout the study spaces,” she added.
Accessibility is another priority. Because the building’s north and south sections are joined by a mezzanine, the south side has no elevator and is inaccessible to people who use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, which the renovation will rectify. The library’s restrooms were renovated this past summer to be accessible.
Dereck Persaud, Senior Project Manager of construction, said the project is “much more than an aesthetic renovation.” It includes a new main entrance and circulation area, more individual and group study rooms, a multipurpose room, gallery space, and improved research and tutoring areas, along with upgrades to the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
Dr. Sara Klein, Vice President for Student Affairs, said the goal is “to provide a first-class, welcoming facility for research and study” and to “embed access to technology throughout the facility.” She said she wants the library to become “a vibrant, comfortable and warm space in which students will gather and spend time.”
Justine Di-Nardo Lim, Senior Director of Planning and Design, said the aim is an “inclusive, welcoming, and neurodiverse-friendly environment” with flexible study and collaborative spaces and lighting and design that accommodate “a range of sensory needs.”
The renovation will also centralize the Library Archives & Special Collections in a research center with temperature and humidity control, security, and compact shelving. The collection includes The Stute’s archives, yearbooks, and The Stevens Indicator, which are climate sensitive and can deteriorate over time without proper care.
The closure will affect a building that is home to more than books. Especially during midterms and finals, students fill the library to study and work in groups. It also houses the Technology Resource & Assistance Center (TRAC), a research desk, the Tutoring Center, the English Language Communication (ELC) office, and America’s Cup, which offers food through Zaro’s Coffee and CrEATe.
Klein acknowledged the disruption. “There is no good time to ever close a campus library; however, it is a necessary closure so that we can make these significant improvements,” she said.
Persaud said planners weighed several schedules, including keeping parts of the library open during construction. But extensive work throughout the building would make continued operation “highly disruptive,” he said, and closing allows the work to proceed “more safely and efficiently.” A more specific reopening timeline will be shared as construction progresses, he said.
Beninghove said staff understands why students value the space. “We appreciate and respect students’ need for a third space, a place to focus and get work done, to collaborate, think, get organized, and gather,” she said.
During the closure, the Tutoring Center and library printers and computers will temporarily relocate, Klein said. “America’s Cup will stay open through the spring semester.” The university is finalizing additional study spaces around campus and will provide seating “to mirror the number of students who are typically in the library over the course of the day,” she said. Hours will match the library’s current schedule and will not be extended during midterms and finals, Klein and Beninghove said.
Beninghove said the list of study spaces should be confirmed later this month and posted on the library’s renovation page. Staff will continue book borrowing, Interlibrary Loan, printing and computer access. Librarians will answer research questions by chat, email, phone or at a temporary Research Desk whose location has not been set.
Student input has shaped the plans, administrators said. Beninghove said staff met with a group of students earlier this fall. Di-Nardo Lim said planners consulted the Student Government Association, Student Affairs, and library staff about relocating quiet study, group study, and other library functions. Klein said feedback will continue to guide decisions such as furnishings. Students can send concerns to library@stevens.edu.
“The benefits very much outweigh the disruption,” Klein said. “Students will come back in the fall to a beautiful new space that will support and enhance their learning and campus experience. It will be well worth the wait!”
