Plans to renovate Alden Library are moving forward as Ohio University enters the design phase of the project, with architecture firm Perkins Eastman set to lead construction when renovations begin.
On Feb. 24, Alden Library hosted an event in partnership with Perkins Eastman to showcase preliminary plans for each floor of the library. The remodel was originally described as “seven floors, seven experiences,” but it is now referred to as “eight floors, eight experiences,” with updated plans now including a rooftop lounge with a terrace and patio.
Each floor of the library has been given a word by Perkins Eastman to describe its intended purpose and ambiance. Level 1 is called “Read” and features a majority of the library’s general collection. Level 2, “Excel,” is designed for collaborative work.
Levels 3 and 4 are “Innovate” and “Learn,” respectively. Level 3 includes recording and podcast studios, VR/AR/gaming and a maker studio, while Level 4 is planned as the new location for the cafe. Level 5, “Explore,” features library archives, displays and galleries.
Level 6, “Collaborate,” includes a reading room, study pods, study rooms and “Zoom Rooms.” Level 7, “Study,” is home to hush pods, egg chairs and silent study rooms.
Hester Lambright, a senior studying history, said she hopes the renovations will add more windows and seating.
“More places to sit … there’s not a lot of windows on a lot of the floors, and where there are windows, it’s still kind of giving dungeon,” Lambright said. “The sixth and seventh floors are very cramped.”
The Feb. 24 event also included a board with three sections labeled “love,” “dislike” and “missing,” where students could post their opinions to the categories.
Under “love,” students wrote they wanted fun chairs, additional seating and study spaces. Several comments also supported the addition of a rooftop patio and more windows.
Under “dislike,” multiple comments raised concerns about trees potentially being cut down near the fourth-floor entrance. Another comment said the design does not feel like a library, while another said the building’s air quality needs improvement.
The comments varied under the “missing” section, with students saying they hoped to keep the midcentury design and furnishings. Another comment said, “books are what libraries are for.” Several comments also called for more study spaces and outdoor seating.
Perkins Eastman also outlined “Big Ideas” for the renovation, including transforming book storage areas into inviting spaces for people, improving connections to the outdoors, creating a new, more welcoming and accessible front entrance, expanding areas for study and collaboration, designing grand and functional spaces that offer new capabilities for the library and enhancing the central communicating stair.
Alicia Sweeney, director of space planning at Ohio University, said there is currently no set timeline for construction because the renovation will occur in phases.
“We will not close the library in its entirety,” Sweeney said. “Either (Floor) 2 or 4 will be open at any time.”
Sweeney said renovations could begin around 2030, when additional capital improvement funding is expected to become available.
Dean of Libraries Rob Ross outlined the project timeline so far.
“The University selected the architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman in 2025 to lead the master planning project, which is expected to run from August 2025 through June 2026 and result in conceptual designs, priorities and cost estimates for a phased renovation of the building,” Ross wrote in an email.
Greg Simmons, vice president for university advancement, said the renovations are an exciting part of the library’s role.
“The master planning process will help shape an exciting new vision for the library and the role it plays in teaching, learning, and research,” Simmons said in an email. “While we are still in the early stages of this process, I am confident that philanthropy will play an important role in realizing that vision.”
Ross said the goal of the project is to update the library to better support modern learning styles, technology and welcoming spaces for students.
