More than 60 years ago, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., dreamed of a new library building that would serve, along with the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Main Building, as one of a trilogy of iconic buildings that would define the Notre Dame campus. These three buildings still define the Notre Dame skyline today.

He envisioned that the Memorial Library (renamed Hesburgh Library in 1987) and its now world-famous Word of Life mural would stand as a symbol of excellence and the pursuit of truth. Reflecting on his goals for this building, Fr. Hesburgh said, "When I began to dream of a greater Notre Dame, it seemed to me that there was no greater step forward we could make, as a great Catholic university, than to have the best Catholic university library in the world."

Notre Dame realized this dream when the building opened on September 18, 1963, and was dedicated on May 7, 1964. To honor this important University milestone and acknowledge the work that students and scholars do within its spaces, the Hesburgh Libraries is planning a year-long 60th Anniversary Celebration framed by these two significant dates.

Read the full story.

The Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room, the newest Hesburgh Library space to undergo a dramatic redesign, is open for students and faculty thanks to a generous gift from former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz in memory of his wife, Beth. Education and faith were of great importance to Beth Holtz — this space honors her devotion to learning and love of libraries.

The space was blessed by University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., and formally dedicated on September 23, 2023. Coach Lou Holtz was joined by his family and friends, along with University leadership and special guests.

Read the full story.

Renovation work is progressing on schedule for the Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room. You may have noticed that the exterior construction fencing has been removed on the west side of Hesburgh Library. Interior finishings are underway, and the two-story space is taking shape.

Until now, we have only had two renderings and our imaginations to help us envision what this long-awaited grand reading room will look like.

Thanks to our digital projects specialist, Adam Heet, you can engage in a virtual tour with key features and panoramic views to help you move around the space. This virtual tour derivative makes it accessible to a broad audience of students, faculty, alumni, and friends. A special thanks to Adam and the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship for creating this exciting experience.

Take a virtual tour of the Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room.

As this phase of the renovation continues, we are seeing significant progress made on the Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room.

Abatement of the west end of the Concourse is now complete. Installation of a new glass wall along the southwest Concourse is underway and will be one of the few remaining architectural features of the space that was affectionately known as the “Fishbowl.”

After weeks of jackhammering and welding, the openings for the large atrium and dedicated stairway within the reading room are now complete. Just as with the Entrance Gallery, the construction of this two-story space is intended to connect the first and second floors, creating a sense of place or “neighborhood.” These openings will link the formerly separate floors and provide the possibility of moving in and out and looking up and down the floor openings. This will enhance the physical and visual relationships between floors and shorten travel distances between services.

Metal stud framing for the interior walls, ceilings, and bulkheads is complete, as well as the installation of mechanical ductwork, fireproofing layers, and insulation. Drywall installation on the walls and ceilings is in progress.

Users can anticipate a dramatic change in the look and feel of the former spaces on the first and second floors. The open spaces, atrium, and new stairwell will allow natural light to flood throughout the entire space. The 2nd floor redesign opens up seating and new window views of west campus, including the Basilica’s spire and the Dome of the Main Building. The reading room will also feature 208 table seats and 66 soft seats for focused, individual study, which is as critical to academic success as the renewed collaborative spaces throughout the building.

Abatement is complete on the 1st Floor and 2nd Floor of the Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room and active construction has begun. Users can expect moderate-to-loud noise throughout the academic year.

The Grand Reading Room will span two floors on the Hesburgh Library’s west side. The 19,975 square foot space was designed to inspire focused and contemplative intellectual work — a feature that complements existing interdisciplinary and collaborative space throughout the Hesburgh Library.

An atrium between the floors and a wall of windows on both levels will provide natural light and a clear view of west campus. Construction for the atrium floor opening will take place during the month of November.

A dedicated stairway within the reading room will connect the 1st Floor and 2nd Floor and allow easy access to the whole space from both levels. The renovated Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room will be furnished with over 250 seats for focused, individual study, as well as soft, comfortable seating around a large enclosed fireplace.

We will continue to keep you updated as our renovation project progresses.

Construction preparation on the Beth and Lou Holtz Family Grand Reading Room continues. The multi-phased renovation project is targeted for completion during the summer of 2023 before the fall semester.

The furniture in the construction area has been removed. Temporary white barrier walls will be built around the construction perimeter of the southwest section of the 1st Floor and 2nd Floor to enclose all construction activity. Exterior fencing will be erected on the lawn just north of the Hesburgh Library’s West Entrance. The barrier walls and fencing will remain in place for the duration of construction.

The southwest corner of the 2nd Floor will remain accessible for study and classroom space. This section will be part of a future phase of renovation and will become the 2nd Floor of Rare Books and Special Collections.

Soon a tunnel will be built for pedestrian traffic from the West Entrance into the center Concourse and will remain in place for the duration of construction. You will still be able to access Rare Books and Special Collections. Directional signage will be posted to help direct traffic.

As soon as the barrier walls and the pedestrian tunnel are in place, abatement will begin on each floor, followed by active construction. Abatement is targeted for completion in September 2022.

In preparation for the construction of the Lou and Beth Holtz Family Grand Reading Room, changes were made to the Current Periodicals collection previously located on the southwest side of the 2nd Floor.

The materials were renamed the Leisure Periodicals collection and moved to a temporary home in the Lower Level until the conclusion of the Grand Reading Room renovation in the summer of 2023. The Lower Level location is highly visible, just off of the main entrance.

The content was adjusted to accommodate a smaller, post-renovation destination on the 1st Floor. Several leisure reading titles remain part of the new Leisure Periodicals collection. Due to the smaller footprint for the collection, the rest of the titles now reside in the tower next to their bound counterparts. Title identification and decisions were made by a working group in consultation with stakeholders.

This project kicks off the first of many projects in preparation for active construction.

Over the last five years, the University of Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Library has undergone a comprehensive interior renovation to transform the spaces used by students, faculty and staff and meet the rapidly changing technology demands of the 21st century.

Now with a generous gift from former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz in memory of his wife, Beth, one of the final areas of the library in need of renewal, the Grand Reading Room, will undergo a dramatic redesign.

Read full release.

The newest Hesburgh Library renovated space to open is the Mac Lab located in the Technology Commons on the 2nd Floor. It features 28 large-screen computers specially designed to ensure high-quality performance while running multiple software applications.

The Macs are loaded with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and additional Pro Apps — a collection of industry-leading creative tools offered by Apple.

Apple Pro Apps include:

• Final Cut Pro X — A professional video editing app that accelerates your post-production work with powerful media organization features, customizable layouts, and innovative tools.
• Logic Pro X — An advanced music production tool that makes it easy to compose, record, edit, and mix professional-quality tracks.
• Motion 5 — A powerful motion graphics tool for creating stunning animated 3D titles, fluid transitions, and realistic effects for the Final Cut Pro app.
• Compressor 4 — An encoding companion to Final Cut Pro that lets you customize output settings, speed up your work, and easily export for iTunes Store.
• MainStage 3 — A live performance companion app for Logic Pro that lets you turn your Mac into a powerful multi-instrument and effects processor.

Adobe Creative Suite includes:

• Acrobat DC
• Animate
• Bridge
• Character Animator
• Illustrator
• InCopy
• InDesign
• Lightroom
• Photoshop
• XD — And more!

The Research Commons opened on March 20, 2019, in the northeast corner of the 1st Floor, across from the Collaboration Hub.

The former home of the temporary Center for Digital Scholarship is the new home for many of our subject librarians who were previously scattered throughout the Hesburgh Library. These faculty offices are centrally located on the 1st Floor near other library service points and are easily accessible for student and faculty consultations. Find our subject experts and their new office locations at library.nd.edu/subjects.

In addition, the Research Commons is now filled with rows of study tables and comfortable lounge chairs—perfect for individual study or collaborative work—surrounded by large windows, offering tons of natural light. Mobile monitors and whiteboards are available throughout the space.

Browse before and after photos at renovation.library.nd.edu/phases.

Phase 2 of the Technology Commons recently opened on the southeast side of the 2nd Floor of Hesburgh Library. The newly renovated space offers additional group study rooms, study nooks, a computer classroom, multimedia studios, and a Mac computer lab.

All featured spaces and services in Tech Commons are available to faculty, staff, and students during Hesburgh Library operating hours.

Multimedia Studios

Three easy-to-use multimedia production studios are available to book for class assignments or creative projects. You can rehearse for class presentations, thesis or dissertation defenses, record a podcast, create videos for online instruction, or use the green screen to create visual effects.

The Studios are located in Rooms 260, 261, and 262 and can be booked by going to library.nd.edu → Study & Media Rooms.

Media Corps Consultation Space

Media Corps is a team of undergrad coaches who consult on Remix projects and help the campus community learn how to capture, edit and produce digital media. Remix is a website that features step-by-step guides for multimedia projects and a showcase of student works. Together, these services are designed to address the increasing demand for developing advanced multimedia skills in today’s digital world.

Media Corps coaches have established a new consultation space in Room 256 just behind the Tech Commons Help Desk. This space provides the tools and environment necessary for the coaches to support the Notre Dame community. It includes a large screen, work table, and whiteboards, in a quiet room that’s ideal for undisturbed consultations.

Mac Lab

The new Mac Lab is located on the 2nd Floor just south of the Tech Commons Help Desk and features 28 large-screen computers specially designed to ensure high-quality performance while running multiple software applications.

They’re loaded with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and additional Pro Apps — a collection of industry-leading creative tools offered by Apple. The Apple Pro Apps include Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3. And the Adobe Creative Suite includes Acrobat DC, Animate, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Photoshop, and more!

We just wrapped up finals week here on campus, and selfishly we didn't want to give away our favorite study spots until they were vacant for you to explore! Whether you’re early to rise or always late to the study party, there’s sure to be a spot for you. Check out five of our favorite on-campus study locations:

The 2nd Floor of the Hesburgh Library

The top place to study on campus: the second floor of the Hesburgh Library! With the latest phase of the Hesburgh Library renovations, the second floor has been transformed into a place with too many study spots to count. If you want to get a couple friends together to study, book a study room through the library website. Or if you prefer to do your work on a larger computer (maybe even two!), head over to one of the many computer hubs on the opposite side of the floor. While the second floor is generally louder, there’s even a reading room where it’s so silent you can hear a pin drop, and sneezing is almost considered a crime. Considering all these factors, the second floor of the library offers the best study experience through and through.

Read the full article at admissions.nd.edu.

Phase 2 of the Collaboration Hub is now open. The new addition to the Hub is located on the 1st Floor in the northwest corner, adjacent to the Entrance Gallery.

The Collaboration Hub is designed to support interdisciplinary research and collaboration among faculty, staff, and students.

The new space includes:

• Open and enclosed collaboration spaces
• Study tables and study nooks
• Videoconference rooms
• Consultation and group study rooms
• A 20-seat classroom (Room 125)

Classroom 125 offers flexible seating and can be arranged to support any teaching and learning style. It’s equipped with 3 wall-mounted screens, dry-erase boards, a lectern computer with an HDMI cord and adaptors. This room is available for instructional use by campus partners. Please contact Julie Garces (jgarces@nd.edu) to reserve Room 125.

The Writing Center holds tutoring hours in two of the consultation rooms (rooms 130 and 132). These rooms offer a quiet, private space for tutors to hold one-on-one consultations with students to help them become better writers.

To reserve a group study, consultation, or videoconference room in this space, please visit the Hesburgh Libraries website at library.nd.edu.

In 2015, Hesburgh Libraries received a $10 million gift from the Marilyn and Rudolph M. Navari Charitable Foundation. This gift was designated to fund renovation of the future home for the Center for Digital Scholarship and to establish an endowment to support the work of the Center. We are thrilled to announce that the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship officially opened on June 4, 2018.

The Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship employs state-of-the-art technologies to transform the ways in which teaching, research and scholarship are performed and preserved, connecting users to rapidly-expanding bodies of knowledge at Notre Dame and around the world.

The CDS is designed to evolve with and equip our next generation of scientists and scholars with the resources to create new knowledge in a digital environment and make a more profound impact in the world.

The center is located in Hesburgh Library’s northeast section of the 2nd floor. The new space includes:

• A lecture-capture classroom
• A flexible use room
• A data visualization studio
• A specialty technology room which includes loanable equipment, 3D printers, and the new Legacy Technology Collection
• Computer cluster with specialty software
• Computers with transcription and usability hardware/software
• Screen-sharing and collaboration tables

Phase 1 of the Technology Commons recently opened on the east side of the 2nd Floor. The new open staircase linking the 1st and 2nd Floors is intended to enhance the physical and visual relationships between floors and shorten travel distances between services.

Tech Commons provides high-quality study and work environments for all users. Throughout the space you will find computer clusters, technology enabled collaboration pods, group study rooms, study tables, and individual workstations.

The new space also includes a dedicated Copy, Print, Scan Room, located behind the Tech Commons Help Desk in Room 253. It is equipped with a copier, color printer, black and white printer, a large-scale printer, and a scanner.

Tech Commons is also the new home for two campus-wide services — the OIT Outpost and the Media Corps. Both are located at the Tech Commons Help Desk centrally located between the computer stations and the Copy, Print, Scan Room.

• The OIT Outpost, formerly located near the Ask Us Desk on the 1st Floor, is a dedicated service desk offering IT services such as diagnosing software installation, and network and printing problems.
• The Media Corps is a new service providing support to students, faculty, and staff who are creating multimedia work. Support is provided by the Media Corps coaches — a team of undergrads who are trained to help you learn how to capture, edit, and produce digital media.

Phase 2 of Tech Commons will open in Spring 2019.

Technology is rapidly changing the landscape of teaching, learning and research at Notre Dame. As teaching methods and instructional tools evolve, new spaces that support interdisciplinary research, multimedia assignments and collaborative group study are critical to intellectual engagement and, ultimately, academic success.

The two-story Collaboration Hub was designed to address these needs. The new space will provide flexible and inspirational environments with high-tech capabilities where groups of students from various disciplines can work across multiple platforms to explore questions, develop advanced-level research skills, and generate new knowledge.

The newly renovated area, located on the 2nd Floor northwest, features study spaces, classrooms, and areas designed to facilitate collaboration among library users, including:

• Classrooms and breakout rooms
• Group study rooms
• Study nooks and study tables
• Video conference rooms

Already the 2nd Floor Hub is fostering communities of scholars who will work together to solve problems throughout their academic careers. The 1st Floor of the Collaboration Hub is scheduled to open in July, 2018.

The home of the new Music Library officially opened on January 16, 2018 at the center of the third floor in O’Neill Hall. This is the ninth full-service branch location to join the Hesburgh Libraries system.

Planning for the new branch library began in November 2013, with a goal to ensure a smooth transition from the Music Collection in Hesburgh Library to the new Music Library in O’Neill Hall.

The new 8,200+ square foot space is flanked by full windows and natural light with seating for up to 70 patrons. The space features three group study and presentation practice rooms with state-of-the-art technology, a computer lab with work stations, a quiet reading room for study and research, and a seminar room. The 5,000+ linear feet of shelving are home to living, breathing collections designed to meet the changing needs of faculty and students for their scholarship and performance work.

The new space is a resource in and of itself, apart from the collection it houses. Its lounge spaces and study areas are a central gathering place for informal interactions between students and faculty. Located in the center of the third floor, the library is literally the “nerve center” of the building—it connects students and faculty flowing out of classrooms and rehearsal halls on either end. It serves as a scholarly gathering space and is known as the “heart” of O’Neill Hall.

After several months of celebrating finished new spaces throughout the Hesburgh Library, it is time to begin new phases of construction.

Library users are familiar with the sights and sounds of demolition and construction by now — floor-to-ceiling barrier walls, directional signs, red tape, and noise alerts, to name a few. Thanks to thoughtful planning and very early start times, this work has had minimal disruption during peak usage hours.

Over spring break, temporary construction walls will be built on the northeast side of the 2nd Floor so that work can begin on the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (NFCDS) and a portion of the Technology Commons.

In 2015, Hesburgh Libraries received a $10 million gift from the Marilyn and Rudolph M. Navari Charitable Foundation to fund the renovation of the future home for the NFCDS and to establish an endowment to support the ongoing work of the Center. The NFCDS will leverage state-of-the-art technologies to accelerate the research process and transform how teaching, learning, and research are performed here at Notre Dame.

The Technology Commons, adjacent to the NFCDS, will be a nexus for high-quality, high-tech study and work environments for users of all levels. Features will include computer stations, technology-enabled collaboration pods and study rooms, a high-performance Mac Lab, and three multimedia A/V recording studios.

These walls will remain in place until the summer of 2018 when these new spaces are scheduled to open.

On February 22, 2017, Notre Dame students, faculty, and staff joined the Hesburgh Libraries to officially celebrate the opening of the new Scholars Lounge in the Hesburgh Library. This new study and gathering space is conveniently located off the Concourse, directly across from the Carey Auditorium and Au Bon Pain Café.

The Scholars Lounge is the latest space transformation of the multi-phased, multi-year Hesburgh Library renewal project. Previously, the space was walled off and designated for library staff. It is now an open, community space surrounded by walls of glass and natural light. The Scholars Lounge has quickly become a favorite destination for the Notre Dame community.

One of our newest spaces — the Scholars Lounge — has opened just in time for finals week. The Scholars Lounge is located across from the Carey Auditorium and Au Bon Pain cafe at the east end of the Concourse and seats up to 80 people.

The Scholars Lounge is open to students, faculty, staff, and other library patrons during regular hours. Intended as a space for conversation and casual study, it has already become a favorite destination for faculty and students. 

A campus-wide open house for the renovated Concourse and Scholars Lounge is scheduled for early next semester. Stay tuned for more details! 

The recently renovated 4th Floor is now open and is the new location for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services. Patrons should note that the 4th Floor is only accessible to users during regular hours, and elevators will not stop on the 4th Floor outside of business hours.

ILL assistance is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• in person
• by telephone (574-631-6260)
• and by email (ill.1@nd.edu)

The 4th Floor is also the new home for several library faculty and staff in the Resource Acquisitions and Discovery (RAD) Program from the following units: Discovery and Access Systems Unit, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Acquisition Services, and Resource Description and Discovery Services.

The RAD team was previously located at the east end of the 1st Floor in the space that will soon become the new Scholars Lounge.

Over 50 years ago, Father Hesburgh had a vision – well ahead of its time – of a new library that would be the academic heart of the University and serve as a symbol of excellence for the world to see. Less than a decade later, he made another bold decision to open the doors of the University to (as he would say) “Our Lady’s ladies.”

His courage and leadership literally transformed the landscape of Notre Dame’s campus forever. When asked about this later, he said, “I have to admit, in all modesty, that you ladies changed the face of Notre Dame – and I was glad that I could open the doors to make that happen.”

In this same spirit, the Women of Notre Dame came together for a special initiative to endow and commemorate the new North Entrance of the Hesburgh Library. They see this new entrance as a "gateway to knowledge for all" that carries Father Hesburgh’s vision forward and honors a profound legacy that opened the doors of opportunity for so many, both on Notre Dame's campus and around the world.

On Saturday, October 15th, over 500 alumni and friends attended the blessing and dedication of the Hesburgh Library North Entrance. A special mosaic of Father Hesburgh comprised of donor images and a dedication panel were installed in the North Entrance in recognition of this effort and the special relationship between Fr. Hesburgh and the women of Notre Dame.

Thanks to the Women's Initiative Steering Committee led by Anne Thompson (’79) and Cindy Parseghian (’77), and over 1,400 individual donors, the Hesburgh Library will remain a centerpiece of intellectual inquiry and academic excellence at Notre Dame for generations to come.

Webcams and viewing windows have been installed in construction work zones. Follow the library's transformation online at renovation.library.nd.edu. The progress of features such as the 4th Floor and Scholars Lounge are unfolding quickly. The progress of features such as the 4th floor and Scholars Lounge are unfolding quickly. You can view the progress frame by frame or watch the time lapse in its entirety.

If you'd like to see the Scholars Lounge work in person, take a peek through the viewing windows that have been installed in the east end of the Concourse.

In preparation for the construction on the new Scholars Lounge, the Hesburgh Library’s east entrance and the east end of the Concourse are now closed for the summer. Entrance into the Library has been redirected to the north, south or west entrances.

All of campus will be happy to know that Au Bon Pain café will remain open and can be accessed through the south entrance.

The Scholars Lounge is located directly across from the Carey Auditorium and is scheduled to open near the end of 2016. What was previously office space closed to the public will become casual meeting and study space for up to 80 students and faculty. In addition, it will be a highly visible and easily accessible space for special Hesburgh Libraries and University-wide events.

The Entrance Gallery phase of renovation is officially complete just in time for ND Commencement and Reunion Weekend! The scaffolding, barrier walls, and tunnels have been removed. At long last, the grand staircase is open again!

Patrons can now easily travel between the north and south entrances and traverse between the Lower Level, 1st Floor, and 2nd Floor. With the grand staircase reopened, the north stairwells, which had been opened temporarily to the public, will revert to being utilized only for emergencies.

The new southern glass wall on the 2nd Floor, free of all obstructions, brings in much needed natural light that floods through the entire Entrance Gallery. This new study area has been named the Carey Family Courtyard View and has become a favorite destination for students. The view out to the courtyard, reflecting pool, and stadium has truly transformed this 2nd Floor space.

On April 25, at 8:00 a.m., the Notre Dame Day crew was back in the Hesburgh Library for a live interview inside the newly renovated Entrance Gallery. Last they did a live interview in this same spot – but it was a full-on construction zone!

Jessica Kayongo, chair of the library renovation steering committee, and Pam James, project manager from the University’s Facilities Design and Operations Division, were on hand for the interview to tell viewers about the dramatic transformations of the Entrance Gallery Phase.

In addition, they shared some special hidden treasures. For example -- Melanie Chapleau, Father Hesburgh’s long-time assistant, placed several of Fr. Ted’s commemorative gold medallions -- blessed by Father Doyle -- into the concrete. And…later…during the topping out ceremony, Father Jenkins signed the last beam to be installed in the Entrance Gallery (just as Father Hesburgh did 50 years ago when the building was originally built.)

They also highlighted one of the most visible tributes -- a quote from Father Hesburgh about his vision for the future of the Hesburgh Libraries that lines the opening of each atrium. It reads:

“I wanted in 1963, and still desire today, for the Library to stand for the future of Notre Dame as a place of unmatched intellectual achievement, free inquiry and providential contributions to mankind. Let the library be a place on this campus where that hunger for truth will keep getting stronger, supporting freedom and justice around the world, inspiring excellence, and prodding us to bigger dreams.”

The construction walls have come down and, at long last, we can see the interior of the South Entrance Gallery. The main doors to the South Entrance have reopened—the Library now has a complete pass through from the South Entrance to the new North Entrance.

New features include another atrium opening between the 1st and 2nd levels and a new Circulation and Research Help Desk. New furnishings create individual and small group gathering spaces throughout the Entrance Gallery on both the 1st and 2nd floors.

Perhaps the most dramatic transformation for Phase 1-B is the first ever two-story view out to the courtyard, reflecting pool and stadium. The stadium view, located at the south end of the 2nd Floor is already a favorite space to study and gather with friends.

Graduate students, faculty, and staff toured the Hesburgh Library’s renovated 10th Floor and enjoyed refreshments and prizes during an Open House and Cookie Celebration on Feb. 8. Hosted by the the Hesburgh Libraries and the Graduate School, the event allowed visitors to interact with the renewed space and take in its open-concept design.

“Perhaps the greatest testament to the success of the renovation is the high demand for space on the 10th floor,” said Jonathan Schwarz, graduate student member of the Renovation Steering Committee. “When we arrived to set up for the open house, every seat between the elevators and the back of the reference room was occupied by a student studying.”

The redesign elevates the feel and experience of the space, while also accommodating diverse user needs. Some distinct features of the revitalized tower floor include a Graduate Student Enclave with assigned carrels (by Arts and Letters), an appointed History Reading Room, lighted study tables and comfortable seating nestled around newly exposed windows.

Attendees were asked to weigh in on the result and their feedback will help serve as a guide for the renovation of future tower floors. “It is a great place,” read one survey reply. While another shared, “After a depressive carrel on 10th floor, this one makes me spend the majority of my time here." Still others commented, "I LOVE IT! The option of lighting, larger workspace, and more plug-ins makes it a great environment for studying," and, “Do all the floors ASAP."

During the event, Schwarz added, “More than half a dozen graduate students requested information on availability for assigned carrels in the new Graduate Enclave.”

The final beam was placed in the Hesburgh Library’s new Entrance Gallery on Jan. 7. The notable event culminated with a “topping out ceremony” celebrated by the University of Notre Dame, Miller-Davis Company (construction manager for the renovation project) and Shepley Bulfinch (architectural firm of record).

Installation of the last beam is considered a milestone in the construction industry. By tradition, the event is marked with a topping out ceremony which pays tribute to the hard work and skills of the craftsmen, and offers goods blessings for the project as it moves ahead.

“We know that our vision for transforming the Hesburgh Library is bold. We also know it is critical in order to meet the changing needs of our students and faculty. It is exciting to be so close to the completion of the Entrance Gallery Phase,” said Edward H. Arnold University Librarian, Diane Parr Walker.

“This topping out ceremony signifies a pivotal point in the renovation project,” said Jack Abate, Senior Project Manager with Miller-Davis. “The Entrance Gallery renovation has transformed the library into a more open and collaborative space.”

The Entrance Gallery Phase of the Hesburgh Library renovation is scheduled for completion in March 2016. Many thanks to this wonderful team! Watch them at work via our webcams at renovation.library.nd.edu.

The 10th Floor is open for browsing the stacks, even though final furnishings have yet to be delivered. The redesigned space has a lighter feel, with less crowding, more lighting, and cool hues. Just off the elevators, an atrium fitted with energy efficient LED lighting offers ample seating and a clear path to the History Reading Room. And around the corner, a glass-walled graduate student enclave features sleek, blonde wood carrels that are assigned for individual study. (The enclave has a swiped entry system and may only be accessed by graduate students with assigned carrels.)

As the Entrance Gallery Phase of the Hesburgh Library renovation nears a close, preparations for the start of the “Concourse Phase” are underway. Tower Floor 4, which houses a portion of the library’s Languages and Literature holdings, closed on December 18. The 4th Floor materials (call numbers PR–PZ) were relocated to level 9, and 9th Floor collections (call numbers G–GV; HM–JQ) were moved to the library’s lower level. Staff offices on the east side of the 1st Floor will be relocated to 4th Floor to free up space for subject librarians and user services, which are currently scattered throughout the building.

Keep an eye on our progress with REN-ALERTS and webcams at renovation.library.nd.edu.

Phase 1-B of the Hesburgh Library renovation is progressing, as the new South Entrance Gallery clearly takes shape. Pieces of the second level floor have been removed, opening up the space for a two-story atrium with a second floor overlook. A peek through 2nd floor construction viewing windows reveals a wide open space filled with natural light.

Where a marble wall once towered over the Concourse, newly added second level windows open up a clear view to the south of campus, toward the reflecting pool, library quad and stadium. On the first floor, library patrons will have easy access to new Circulation and Research Help desks. The South Entrance Gallery is scheduled for completion in March 2016. Keep up on renovation progress at renovation.library.nd.edu.

As Phase 1-B of the renovation continues at the Hesburgh Library, visitors can expect to see, and hear, a lot of activity in the coming weeks. Dramatic reconstruction at the south end on the 1st and 2nd floors makes way for a redesigned entrance gallery. Soon, the two-story marble wall overlooking the main Concourse will be replaced with a glass wall. The finished gallery will feature a two-story atrium, mirroring the design of the newly added north entrance, and a new 2nd floor viewing area facing the south quad, reflecting pool and stadium and new Circulation and Research Help Desk.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the 10th Floor as crews work to install electrical, data and plumbing infrastructures and put down terrazzo floors in the elevator landing area. When the 10th Floor is completed by January 2016, the remodeled space will feature a graduate student enclave and a subject-specific reading room.

During this busy stretch, patrons should rely on REN-ALERTS, and wayfinding maps as they plan their library visits. To watch the progress unfold, check out the webcams on renovation.library.nd.edu.

Expect a shift in the main Concourse landscape, as renovation Phase 1-B begins at the Hesburgh Library. But don’t worry, we’ll help you get where you’re going. A pedestrian tunnel and barrier direct traffic through the Concourse, while floor-level directional arrows and other obvious signage help visitors find their way.

Approaching the library from the south? Enter through the temporary “Fishbowl” entrance, located to the west of the main entrance. Though the main staircase will be inaccessible during this phase, two stairwells at the library’s north end provide access between the first and second floors and lower level. Elevators and stairways to the tower floors will mostly remain open.

When in the building, look for maps, wayfinding flyers and directional signage to help with navigation or, download wayfinding maps and tools. Don’t forget, sign up for REN-ALERTS to stay updated on library closures and conditions at renovation.library.nd.edu.

Be prepared for dramatic changes. The new South Entrance, due to be completed in March 2016, will feature a two-story atrium, new staircases and floor-to-ceiling windows on the second level, where visitors can take in beautiful new views of the south quad and stadium.

Hesburgh Library has finished the first stage of the multi-phase renovation plan to modernize the building in hopes of creating an improved collaborative and educational atmosphere. This first phase, labeled as Phase 1-A, includes an additional entrance on the north side of the building and new restrooms on the first two floors.

University Librarian Diane Parr Walker said today’s students and faculty require that libraries provide both individual and collaborative spaces, state-of-the-art technologies and advanced research expertise.

“We’ve just completed the first half of the initial phase of renovation,” Walker said. “That’s the north end of the central core of the first and second floors of the Hesburgh Library, including a new entrance on the north side of the building, an atrium opening between the two floors, a large skylight visible from both floors, a glass-walled quiet reading room on the second floor and new restrooms on both floors.

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The outdoor construction fencing is down, and the Hesburgh Library’s North Plaza is ready to receive visitors! The North Plaza complements the dramatic interior of the recently transformed North Entrance Gallery and is located just outside the new entrance.

Sidewalks criss-cross the new North Plaza, allowing easy access from dorms, academic buildings, and offices on the north end of campus. A brick-paved courtyard with low limestone walls and raised plant beds greets people entering the building, and offers perfect outdoor gathering spaces for students and faculty.

The opening of the North Entrance and Plaza officially mark the close of Phase 1-A. Now, as Phase 1-B begins, check the REN-ALERTS for current library conditions and accessibility. And visit http://renovation.library.nd.edu/galleries/ where our photo galleries reveal what’s to come!

Step on in! The Hesburgh Library’s new North Entrance and Gallery are open and ready to wow! Come see the dazzling new space which features a two-story atrium and a stunning skylight above a second-level North Reading Room. The entry, which is a key element in the main gallery redesign, creates a bright and welcoming atmosphere and offers visitors a preview of the transformative changes yet to come.

The entrance is accessible by way of a new sidewalk at the northwest corner of the building. Additional sidewalks and landscaping will round out the North Entrance Plaza, which will be unveiled in early September. Download the site logistics plan for the Hesburgh Library’s North Entrance Plaza and Quad.

The entry opening signals the end of renovation Phase 1-A and the start Phase 1-B. Keep an eye toward our photo galleries to watch as the transformation continues at renovation.library.nd.edu/galleries/.

Let the sunshine in! The installation of a large skylight signals that Phase 1-A construction at the Hesburgh Library is soon wrapping up.

The new North Entrance, which was initiated late last year with the removal of part of the second-level floor, is a key aspect in the main gallery redesign. The new entrance, slated to open in late August, will feature a two-story "neighborhood" with an atrium and a magnificent skylight above a new second-floor North Reading Room.

Meanwhile, construction on the 10th floor, another element of Phase 1-A renovation, is proceeding. The 10th floor is due to be completed by the end of 2015.

As a new academic year gets under way, be sure to sign up for REN-ALERTS for up-to-date announcements about library conditions and accessibility.

The Marilyn & Rudolph M. Navari Charitable Foundation has made a $10 million gift to the Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame, the largest gift in the libraries’ history, surpassing the $6 million Ford Foundation Challenge Grant that helped fund the original construction of the then-Memorial Library in the early 1960s.

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The Hesburgh Libraries received the largest donation in its history, a $10 million gift from the Marilyn & Rudolph M. Navari Charitable Foundation that will be used to further develop the Libraries’ digital services, the University announced in a press release Friday.

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Some construction work has shifted to the Hesburgh Library’s east entrance in preparation for the 10th Floor and Phase 1-B of the renovation. The entrance is still accessible and visitors can still travel through the concourse thanks to a barrier wall that runs along the north side of the library’s interior across from the cafe. Construction workers will move in and out of the work zone through this separate but adjacent protective tunnel.

Looking to return a book? The book drops have been moved to the south side of the east entrance doors.

Subscribe to “Ren-Alerts” to receive up-to-date renovation and construction announcements.

No more shelves. No more carrels. There’s nothing left but wide open spaces on the library’s 10th floor—it’s the first tower level being transformed during phase one of the Hesburgh Library renovation. Its materials now are temporarily housed in the library’s lower level, where they can be easily accessed during the renovation.

Currently the floor is shut down with the start of asbestos abatement, and will remain closed until its renovation is complete at the end of 2015.

In the developing space, carrels, collections and offices will be situated away from the windows, allowing in more natural light. The brightest areas of the floor then, will offer individual seats and seating clusters. The renovation also will include the addition of a reading room and a graduate student enclave. These unique spaces will allow for focused, individual study but also serve as meeting places where communities of scholars can engage in work together, surrounded by the materials with which they do much of their scholarly research.

There’s a lot of change underway. Watch the 10th floor take shape through the web cam, on the 10th Floor phase page.

It’s a good thing we said "farewell to the floor" last December, because it’s gone! As part of Phase 1-A, a large section of the 2nd floor in the library’s north end has been removed leaving nothing but open sight-lines to the first floor and daylight. The change is just one of the highlights of Phase 1-A renovation scheduled to wrap up in July of 2015.

Users can anticipate a dramatic change in the look and feel of the library’s main corridor. The opened overhead space will unify the library’s first and second floors, as will the addition of new stairwells, broad windows and skylight “lanterns” cut into the second level roof. The transformation will ease access to library services, while creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

Changes are coming quickly. Keep an eye toward the transformation on the Entrance Gallery 2nd Floor phase page..

Webcams and viewing windows have been installed in construction work zones on the first and second floors. Follow the Library’s transformation phase by phase or visit our photo gallery. The progress of features such as the floor opening, north entrance, 2nd floor reading room and skylight are unfolding quickly now. You can view the progress frame by frame or watch the time lapse in its entirety.

If you'd like to see the work in person, take a peek through the viewing windows that have been installed on the south construction walls on the first and second floors. Note: The occasional red and blue coverings on the windows are used to shield viewers eyes from welding activity.

At long last, active construction for Phase 1-A of Hesburgh Library Renovation began on February 23. With that, expect some type of disruptive demolition and construction noise (often intermittent) such as hammer drilling, sawing, and pounding for the duration of Phase 1-A. 


For the next several weeks, demolition activity and construction preparation will take place both the first and second floors as well as the lower level. Subscribe to Ren-Alerts at renovation.nd.edu to stay learn about significant increases in construction noise levels. 

The 14-story Hesburgh Library, iconic for its Word of Life mural (better known as “Touchdown Jesus”), is slated to undergo full-scale interior renovations.

The Hesburgh Library marked its fiftieth anniversary on May 7, 2014, but as Jessica Kayongo, Anthropology and Interim Sociology Librarian, told the Rover, “[I]t has not had any major renovation, except in the Lower Level and the Penthouse, to any of its spaces in those fifty years.”

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Happy New Year! 2015 kicks off with new renovation activity in the Hesburgh Library. Phase 1-A officially began just after finals on December 22, 2014.
During the holiday break, temporary white construction barrier walls were erected around the entire Phase 1-A perimeter to enclose all construction activity and diminish sounds and smells.

These walls will stay in place for the duration of Phase 1-A (to conclude in July of 2015), but soon, peek windows and webcams will let you watch the transformation on-site and online. Site logistics and construction maps are also available online to indicate which areas of the library are accessible during the course of the renovation.

I may have procrastinated the last paper of my college career. It may have been 2 a.m. and I may have been sitting at a large table across from an equally cranky classmate on the second floor of the library cursing the loud, giggly sophomores two tables down, loathing our friends who sent a string of text messages urging us to abandon the assignment and meet them at the bar with our sacks full of turn-of-the-century fiction in tow, and, most intensely, resenting ourselves for pushing this off until the very last night of our academic careers.

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Thanks to everyone who attended the Hesburgh Library’s “Farewell to the Floor” event on December 10 from 4pm to 6pm. The open house event officially launched Hesburgh Library Renovation: Restoring an Icon Phase One. Visitors were invited to enjoy holiday sweets and then grab a Sharpie and scrawl their moniker or a favorite memory on a soon-to-be-removed section of the Library’s second floor.

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With the conclusion of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Hesburgh Library in May, the building will begin a multi-phase interior renovation project Dec. 22.

University librarian Diane Walker said the research and scholarship needs of students have changed dramatically in the last 50 years.

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In the wake of the 50th anniversary of the University of Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Library, the University will begin an interior renovation of the iconic building later this month.

Named in honor of President Emeritus Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., the Hesburgh Library is the flagship for Notre Dame’s library system, collectively called the Hesburgh Libraries. Grand in both vision and scale, the building is more than 440,000 square feet, stands 14 stories tall and is believed to have been the largest collegiate library of its day.

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