John Hay Reading Room in its original grandeur.
A new exhibit will be on view for the month of June in the lobby cases of the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, opposite circulation: “Renovating the John Hay Library: 2013-2014.”
The John Hay Library, located at the crest of College Street opposite the Van Wickle gates, is one of Brown University’s historic landmarks. The Library was built in 1910 and served as Brown University’s main library from 1910 until 1964, when the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library opened. Today it houses the University’s Archives and Special Collections.
The current renovation of this historic landmark will include a refurbishment of the magnificent first floor reading room into an open, welcoming study space for students and restoring the size and grandeur of the original design. The area which formerly housed University Archives will be converted into a new state-of-the-art special collections reading room. In addition the first floor of the Hay will host a new exhibition gallery, student lounge, and consultation room. Plans include the development of handicapped access to the front of the building through the north side lawn.
This exhibit explores the evolution of the Library over the past one hundred years through a selection of materials ranging from archival photographs and drawings, to floor plans of the future Hay, scheduled for completion in Fall 2014.
For more information about the current renovation visit: Library.brown.edu/hayrenovation. A more extensive version of the exhibit with digitized version of materials will also be available online in June.