Phase II of the Mullins Library renovation project will commence in January 2023. Levels 1 and 2 will be updated to include a café and robust technology offerings. Special Collections will gain an additional 3,000 square feet of space for storing materials on site, and some collections in circulation will be moved to more prominent locations.
“The renovations to Special Collections will bring a state-of-the-art environment to help preserve our rare and distinct items,” said Melanie Griffin, interim associate dean for Special Collections. “We’re also looking forward to a new reading room and a classroom. Both spaces will be technology-rich and provide opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to explore Special Collections materials. During the renovation, all library users are invited to access Special Collections materials in our temporary reading room in Mullins 329.”
Level 2 will include the family study space and curriculum materials for education students.
Enhanced technology offerings will include a space for virtual and augmented reality, a makerspace, a recording studio and a video capture room.
“We continue to refine the design for the renovation of levels 1 and 2 of Mullins Library,” said Jason Battles, dean of University Libraries. “New programmatic spaces will be available to every student in every discipline to use for research, courses and their own curiosity. The ability to use some of these spaces for hands-on instruction for faculty and courses is also something we are striving to accomplish. I’d be remiss if I did not mention that generous donor support is part of why we are able to offer spaces like the virtual and augmented reality lab and café, as well as the enhanced environment for Special Collections.”
Level 1 is currently closed to the public, and Level 2 will close Monday, Dec. 19.
Kennedy & Violich Architecture from Boston are teamed with Fayetteville’s DEMX Architecture on the project, with Con-Real serving as the general contractor. KVA has notably worked on construction and renovation projects at Harvard University’s Schlesinger Library and MIT’s Hayden Library. Con-Real served as general contractor on Phase I of the Mullins Library renovation and construction of the University Libraries high-density storage facility, known as LINX, located in the Art and Design District off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
It is anticipated that Phase II will be complete by summer 2024. Additional status updates and design information will be shared as the project progresses.