From new study rooms and lounges to a digital humanities suite, Newman Library has a new look this academic year, with upgrades that reflect changes in research and technology.

As part of Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District, the University Libraries is making structural, technological, and programmatic upgrades at Newman Library.

The library is part of this newly created district, situated on the eastern edge of campus near downtown Blacksburg.  Small- and large-scale renovations are planned in this area, with changes that are meant to guide future thinking, repurpose assets, and create spaces that will leverage creative and entrepreneurial activities.

Newman currently has 1,200 seats, which accommodates about 4 percent of the Virginia Tech student body.  The goal is to provide 2,000 to 2,500 seats, which will accommodate nearly 8 percent of the Virginia Tech student body.

Renovated commons areas will add more seating, enable collaboration, and give access to project studio space and technology, which support digital literacy and Beyond Boundaries initiatives.

Many of the latest changes are taking place on the first and fourth floors. There are five new reservable study rooms, three mediascape lounges, and new creation studios, which include Data Visualization and Virtual Environments studios.

Inside the Data Visualization Studio, faculty and students can learn ways to present data in creative ways through tutorials, workshops, and consultations. The Virtual Environments Studio is a space where people can use virtual reality for games, movies, educational content, and more.

There are significant renovations on the library's first floor as it partners with the provost’s office and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences to build a new digital humanities suite. This suite will support digital humanities teaching, learning, and research by faculty and students.

The library is working on partnerships to develop the fourth floor into a usable, innovative space. Renovations will likely take place over a long period of time to allow for feasibility studies and repairs. In the meantime, as more collections are made available electronically, the library has begun converting fourth floor bookshelves spaces into study and exhibit areas.

The library’s physical collections still will be available, and its resources will be easier to access digitally and through borrowing services, including Interlibrary loan and BookRunner, a service through which the library delivers materials to faculty offices daily via campus mail.

In addition, circulation staff and subject specialists provide information services for faculty, staff, and students in each of Virginia Tech's colleges.

Visit the library’s website, follow along on social media, or stop by to explore how the library can meet your needs.

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