A great library is an essential part of a great university and SMU has unveiled a new initiative to modernize the Fondren Library Center, updating the facility in line with a new model of libraries as centers of interactive technology and vital campus gathering places.
The planned renovations and upgrades will constitute a much-needed alteration of the library’s interior spaces through thoughtful design, creating an environment conducive to study, research and intellectual exploration. Enhancements include optimization of user spaces, the addition of new public programming capabilities and technology upgrades that serve as a catalyst for learning.
Features
- Restoration of reading rooms
- Areas for preservation and expansion of print collections
- Attractive public spaces for programs and exhibits
- Enhanced Individual and group study areas
- Café and browsing area
- Development of digital initiatives
- Updated offices and meeting spaces
Support
SMU is currently seeking funding support for this critical project, and the Fondren Library Center renovation includes many naming opportunities for donors who wish to provide support. The most prominent of these is the naming of the current Science Information Center, to be transformed and re-purposed as the Special Collections Research Center Building. The building is the last available to be named on the main quad. Other naming opportunities include:
- Grand Reading Room
- Special Collections Research Center Reading Room
- Gallery
- Information Commons
- Café
- Browsing Area
- Group Study Room
- Collaborative Computing Suite
- Dean’s Suite
To learn more, please contact Paulette Mulry, director of development for Central University Libraries, at 214-768-1741.