The second of two phases of work to renovate the David W. Mullins Library on the campus of the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville will begin in January, the school announced Nov. 14.
Built in 1968, Mullins Library is the main library facility at UA, where most of the University Libraries' central offices, study space and collections are located and available for public use.
The first and second levels of the library are set to be updated to include a café and more robust technology offerings, according to the university. UA's Special Collections will gain an added 3,000 sq. ft of space for storing materials on site, and some collections in circulation will be moved to more prominent locations.
"The renovations to Special Collections will bring a state-of-the-art environment to help preserve our rare and distinct items," Melanie Griffin, interim associate dean of Special Collections, said in a statement.
"We're also looking forward to a new reading room and a classroom. Both spaces will be technology-rich and provide opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to explore Special Collections materials. During the renovation, all library users are invited to access Special Collections materials in our temporary reading room in Mullins 329."
Level Two within the improved Mullins Library will include a family study space and curriculum materials for education students.
Enhanced technology offerings will include a space for virtual and augmented reality, a makerspace, a recording studio, and a video capture room, according to the announcement on UA's website.
"We continue to refine the design for the renovation of Levels One and Two of Mullins Library," said Jason Battles, dean of University Libraries. "New programmatic spaces will be available to every student in every discipline to use for research, courses, and their own curiosity. The ability to use some of these spaces for hands-on instruction for faculty and courses is also something we are striving to accomplish.
Battles added, "I'd be remiss if I did not mention that generous donor support is part of why we are able to offer spaces like the virtual and augmented reality lab and café, as well as the enhanced environment for Special Collections."
Mullins Library Houses Many of UA's Treasures
The University of Arkansas's Mullins Library offers many services and programs. In addition, it is UA's repository for a host of different collections.
Following is a list of services and programs available at the library:
- A help desk for research service and check outs.
- A computer lab and printing and scanning stations.
- The Interlibrary Loan office.
- The Helen Robson Walton Reading Room.
- The Lindley and Kaneaster Hodges Jr. Reading Room.
- UA's Multimedia Services.
- The university's Scholarly Communications office.
Among the Arkansas' collections housed in the Mullins Library are:
- The main circulating book collection.
- A current periodicals reading room.
- Government documents.
- A children's literature collection.
- Microforms and microform readers.
- UA's Multimedia Services.
- UA's Special Collections.
The university's major collections for art and architecture, chemistry and physics, and law are kept outside of Mullins in the Fine Arts Library, the Chemistry and Biochemistry Library, and the Physics Library and Young Law Library, respectively. Its Library Annex houses lesser-used collections in an ultramodern environment. Materials are delivered from the Library Annex several times a day.
Preparations Being Made for Library's Renovation
With the Mullins upgrade coming soon, the university has closed the first level of the facility to the public, while Level 2 is set to be shut down on Dec. 19.
Boston, Mass.-based Kennedy & Violich Architecture (KVA) has teamed with Fayetteville's DEMX Architecture on the project, with Con-Real LP from Arlington, Texas serving as the general contractor. KVA has notably worked on construction and renovation projects at Harvard University's Schlesinger Library and MIT's Hayden Library.
Con-Real had earlier served as general contractor on Phase I of the Mullins Library renovation and construction of the University Libraries high-density storage facility, known as LINX, in the Art and Design District off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Fayetteville
It is expected that Phase II will be complete by summer 2024, according to the university.
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