Davidson College announces $100M library upgrade. It’s the school’s largest project ever
Davidson College on Thursday announced plans for a $100 million renovation of its library, including permanently relocating about half of its collection.
It’s the largest capital project in the school’s history. The school received $85 million in combined gifts from the Duke Endowment and Bob Abernethy, a businessman and Davidson native, for the project.
The most frequently used books will remain in the library, which was built in 1974 in the center of Davidson’s campus. Other books will be stored in a temperature-controlled annex where they will be available the same day students request them. Campus leaders say the new design will make the library a gathering, teaching and collaboration space, rather than a space for physical book storage.
“We’re focusing on digital learning and what a library will look like in the future,” Davidson College president Doug Hicks told The Charlotte Observer. “It is our responsibility to provide our students, faculty and community with the kinds of academic spaces and resources they need to contribute to the world today. Books and periodicals remain vital in that process, and so do digital resources and spaces for innovative group work.”
The library will “continue to incorporate the library collection into effective curricular and co-curricular experiences for our students,” according to the project’s website.
Hicks announced the project Thursday morning at a lively gathering of students, alumni and faculty at the school’s Duke Family Performance Hall. He was joined by Abernethy and chairman of the Duke Endowment and Charlotte native Charles C. Lucas. There were cheers, applause and a confetti cannon.
The college says construction could begin next year, depending on fundraising success. Once it starts, construction is expected to end in two years.
Renderings released by the college show large ceiling-to-floor windows at the building’s entrance, but don’t yet provide a look inside the building.
How will Davidson pay for library renovation?
Davidson received a $60 million gift from the Duke Endowment for the renovation — the largest gift in the college’s history. Bob Abernethy, a former Davidson College trustee, gave an additional $25 million after he said he was inspired by the Duke Endowment’s commitment. The renovated library will be renamed in honor of his father, George Lawrence Abernethy, who founded the school’s philosophy department and co-founded its humanities department.
Previously, the biggest gift in Davidson College history was $45 million from The Duke Endowment in 2013 for the construction of the E. Craig Wall Jr. Academic Center.
The library is currently named for E.H. Little, former chairman of the Colgate-Palmolive company and Huntersville native. Little donated $1 million in 1973 for the construction of Davidson’s library.
Fundraising for the new project isn’t complete. Davidson still needs around $15 million to fully fund the library revamp.
The school contracted with Minneapolis-based architecture firm MSR Designs on the project in spring 2021 to work in collaboration with a task force of students, faculty and library staff. They have now entered the design phase, which is expected to take a year.
During the construction process, all library materials will be relocated to the new book storage annex, which has yet to be built, where school officials say they will remain accessible.
“Convenient access to library staff, study spaces, and library resources will be prioritized throughout the construction period,” according to the project’s website.
