After two years of undergoing construction, the newly renovated Nash Library was reopened and celebrated with a dedication ceremony Friday.
Minutes before the ceremony began, people of all ages began to trickle through the doors and meander around the library.
“You will still find hundreds of thousands of volumes documenting humanities’ collective experiences in search for meaning and a greater understanding to the world we live in,” Ken Brundage, director of Nash Library and Student Learning Commons, said in his speech.
“But you will also find more pervasive technology and a much wider array of hands on learning resources.”
While waiting for the ceremony to begin, several people decided to look around and to attempt to point out the new additions.
Among the new additions to Nash are 49 study rooms and three large flex rooms for larger groups to collaborate in.
Many of these rooms also include wireless connections.
Another technologic addition to Nash is the increase of computer access throughout the entire building.
On the bottom floor is a new computer lab made up of 28 computers.
Throughout the rest of the building are 30 different work stations; each contains either a Mac or a PC.
If one of these tech spaces does not fit your needs, then you have the option to borrow a computer from the library.
As it grew closer to 11 a.m., the entire first floor of Nash grew packed with Gannon staff, students, alumni and contributors.
In front of the north side entrance was a small riser with a wooden lectern.
In front of the lectern were five large red Poinsettias that rested on the top of several stacked books.
On one side was a green wreath with several red, yellow and white flowers and attached to it was a maroon and gold ribbon.
Off to the other side of the riser were 10 chairs lined up for each of the event’s speakers, which included Gannon President Keith Taylor, Ph.D., and Student Government Association President Kendra Walker.
“Nash Library is many different things to many different people,” Walker said. “To some a memory. To others an oasis. To another a place of discipline. And now a source of a good cup of coffee.”
Toward the end of the ceremony, the Most Rev. Lawrence T. Persico, bishop of Erie, began the prayer dedication.
To conclude the ceremony, Persico and several other speakers parted the crowd and began to walk toward the other side of the library with the wreath.
Once they reached the south side of the library, they blessed the Our Lady of Wisdom statues and the large crucifix mounted on the wall.
After they finished, they began to head back to the podium and a small black bird appeared and flew above them down the aisle.
Once the dedication was over, the crowd quickly began to mingle or return to exploring the changes to Nash.
Some people were pointing out the art on the bottom floor, while others chose to try out the diverse new study spaces such as the study pods on the second floor.
Taylor said his favorite spot is the third-floor space. He said the design of the space reminded him of a Harvard Law School library.
Walker said she went to the old Nash Library in her freshman year prior to the renovations.
“I was seeing it during the reconstruction phase and it was already a transformation,” she said. “I love it.”
Walker said that although she has yet to use it, she is anticipating her favorite part to be the outside seating.
“And just as it has been over the last 10 years and as it will be for the next 10 years, Nash Library is going to keep changing,” Walker said. “Changing the lives of every person who walks through those doors.”
BRITTINY LENE’
