June 2021

Building Project Update

The spring semester is behind us and the days are getting longer and warmer. I, for one, am ecstatic…and proud. I hope you are proud of the work we’ve accomplished together despite the many challenges we’ve grappled with over the pandemic. Again, I want to express again how grateful I am to all of you.

We are still awaiting final approval of the contract with the architect/engineer for the archives and special collections building and remain optimistic. We continue to impress on our F&S colleagues the importance of finalizing the contract and we continue to move forward with what we can. That being said, I’m pleased to report there is significant progress on the Main/Undergraduate Library Integration Project. As David Ward shared during the May 26 Hangout, final reports from the working groups will be discussed within the Executive Committee and next steps will be shared out more broadly with all of you soon. And, all the while we have been fundraising! Between private gifts, funding from the university, and our own building funds, we are more than 90% toward our goal.

It’s never fun to play the waiting game, but many times it’s an inevitable part of the process. Thank you for your patience. I will share any *new* news as soon as I have it.

John Wilkin
The Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian