As you walk around the Kennesaw campus, it’s easy to see that there is no shortage of places to sit, lounge and study. However, the sound of construction has always been a bit of a distraction… until now.
The library renovations are finally over, and students and faculty alike are able to appreciate the additional space that can now be used for clubs, research, and classes. The library renovations broke ground in October of 2013 leading to a $4.4 million expansion, but many students ask the question: were they really necessary?
According to the Kennesaw State website, plans for the project included “repurposing the space on the ground floor and first floor of the library, upgrading the mechanical/electrical infrastructure, and updating the library’s furnishings to provide more learning and engagement spaces to enhance student success. The renovation also will allow the University to better preserve and more widely share its most distinguished books, documents and audiovisual material.”
While the improvements to the library were seen as quite beneficial on behalf of the administration, many students are upset that the money did not go towards something that was more valuable.
“I think they should have put the money towards a student lounge like the one on the Marietta Campus,” said sophomore business major Abel Bentaces. ” A parking deck also would have been more beneficial.”
In addition to the interior improvements, a single entryway has been improved, with the elimination of the numerous other entry points surrounding the building. While the school may have seen this as a convenience, a good amount of students found it to be even less accessible than before.
“I actually really appreciated the easy access to the library,” said recent modern languages and cultures graduate, Stephen Pritchett. “There were a lot of ways to get inside, and I liked how everything was more spread out.”
What many fail to see is that this renovation was necessary for us to keep up with the resources offered at similar institutions in the state.
“This renovation and expansion will enable us to meet the growing needs of our 25,000 students, and ensure that the library continues to serve us well in the future,” KSU President Daniel S. Papp said.
Though the renovations have already been completed, the question of whatshould be improved next is still apparent. Many have discussed the possibility of turning the third floor cubicle area into a lounge for students, but the clubs that inhabit the space now are not too keen on the idea.
Another potential project that will happen one way or another is another parking garage, which could potentially be placed in the current parking lot on Frey Road or just outside the Clendenin Building.
Others say that the need for an additional dining hall is just as important, which also has the potential to be built outside the Clendenin Building. This would alleviate the overcrowding that the Commons currently faces as well as provide a more convenient dining location to those who reside in the Austin Residency Complex.
It is clear that there is a split opinion on whether the recent renovations to the library were needed. Though from what the University has said so far, I have faith that they made the right decision. There will always be different ideas of where the money should go, but in the end, the renovations that are seen as most important will come first. I was not attending the school before the renovations started, but I can say for certain that the school set out to meet the demands of a growing student population, and they did just that.
