University of Virginia’s Alderman Library reopened yesterday, after being closed for a long four years. I went to take a look, and i was not disappointed.
Mr. Jefferson, in his old age, said, “I can not live without books,” and of course this was true his whole life. Life-long readers know the feeling. About the only thing that could tempt me to want to live forever is the prospect of unlimited access to an academic library.
In those same final years, Jefferson was the man above all others responsible for the creation of the University of Virginia. He centered it physically, as well as conceptually, around the library, which was housed in the Rotunda.
One or two things have changed since the early 1800s, and the university library system today is not one but many, including the Charles L. Brown Science and Engineering; Clemons; Fine Arts; the Harrison Institute (Special Collections), and Music libraries. But first and foremost is Alderman, the main library. Built in 1938, later expanded, it served the university and the wider community until 2020, when it was closed for a complete overhaul.
And what a job they did!
The library building as it was may be envisioned at two boxes, joined by a common wall, each oriented east-west That is, there was the original building and the expansion built directly behind it, which housed the new stacks. (The new stacks greatly increased the number of books that could be housed. ) The renovation made the two boxes one, oriented north-south.
The stacks used to be the same as university stacks have always been : poorly lit, very bare-bones, something between an attic and a storeroom . In the new building they are front and center, the entire space suffused with air and light.
As it happened, an entire generation of UVA students – those who entered in 2020 and graduate this year – missed the Alderman experience. But for those currently enrolled – and, more to the point personally, for those of us in the surrounding community who know how to value our access to this wonderful resourse – the best is yet to come.
Don’t take my word for it. Look at these lovely photos. https://www.library.virginia.edu/news/2024/renovated-main-library-set-open-january-8
Thanks for sharing Frank!
A great resource indeed, as it has a relatively much lower percentage of misinformation at 53%. The average is 85%.
Also a good time to remember that if we wish, we have access to the greatest resource with 0% misinformation, the Akashic Library.
I have made friends with folks who have that library card. 😎
How wonderful. I am so glad you are so close. Were I closer, I can see myself spending much time there. My mother was a great supporter of Libraries, and I think that trickled down to me. Thank you for sharing the wonderful photos. The light! The openness! I bet you will spend many happy hours in one of those chairs in the wonderful room! GO Frank!
Beautiful. Mention of the architects is oddly missing from the UVA story. is oddly missing, though of course one never knows how that relationship worked out. The firm is HBRA Architects. The firm has some photos here: https://www.hbra-arch.com/news/story_02_aldermanlibraryrenewal.html.
I did some of my best sleeping in college libraries, so I hope the renovation will enable students to continue that tradition.