September 9, 2019
Letter from the Dean of Libraries
Just over a week ago, we opened the first portion of Hale Library since the May 22, 2018 fire. The opening of the Dave and Ellie Everitt Learning Commons is a major milestone in our recovery efforts, but it would not be possible without the support of countless people across campus. From those that have worked closely with us on the project to hundreds of kind gestures and words of encouragement, we have felt your support at every turn.
Nearly all Libraries staff will remain in temporary locations during this semester, and many during the spring semester as well. We are deeply grateful to those that continue to provide office space, meeting rooms, spaces for events and so much more. Your generosity is a reminder of what makes K-State special.
While the opening of the Everitt Learning Commons is exciting, we still have a lot of work ahead. In addition to the continued planning, restoration and renovation of the building, we are also still in the process of cleaning library collections. More than 1.5 million items are being cleaned one at a time by hand. Once they are clean, we will have the monumental task of organizing the contents in 147,700 boxes from multiple storage locations. I encourage you to follow our blog for the latest updates on our progress.
We know the past year hasn’t been easy for students and researchers. It is what keeps us pushing forward to meet deadlines and raise financial support to improve the Libraries. A library disaster of this magnitude is nearly unprecedented. We have greatly appreciated the patience and understanding of the K-State community.
Seeing students back in Hale Library has energized our staff, and we look forward to the opening the second floor in January 2020.
Lori Goetsch
Dean of Libraries