By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Austin Partridge calls Calvin T. Ryan Library a “special place.”
The University of Nebraska at Kearney graduate spent countless hours at the campus building, studying, researching, working on group projects and socializing with fellow Lopers.
“For me, Calvin T. Ryan Library wasn’t just a space to focus on academics,” said Partridge, who earned a degree in business administration with a finance emphasis in spring 2018. “It was a place that helped strengthen my connection to the campus community as a whole. That’s why I was proud to play a small role in Student Government to help advance the mission of the library. It’s a place we all share, and I couldn’t be more excited for future Lopers to experience this new and improved space for generations to come.”
A priority project for Partridge and other former UNK student body presidents, Calvin T. Ryan Library now plays an even bigger part on campus following a $25 million renovation that enhanced its layout, appearance and functionality.
Evan Boyd, dean of the library, describes the changes as a “radical transformation” that shifts the nearly 100,000-square-foot building’s focus from its physical collection to support services and resources that better meet the needs of current and future students.
“Libraries have been changing in many ways over the last 30 years, one of them being that they are transitioning from book warehouses into active participants in learning and research,” Boyd said. “That’s really important here because the university wanted to reframe how it’s supporting students and helping them be successful. This renovation allowed us to integrate what is now called the Loper Success Hub into the building.”
Located on the second floor of the library, the Loper Success Hub is a student-focused space that unifies the academic resources available on campus and provides a holistic support system. It houses Academic Advising and Career Development, Disability Services for Students, TRIO Student Support Services, Kearney Bound Scholars, First-Gen Lopers, Tutoring and Academic Support and the Honors Program, creating a one-stop shop for students.
“The integration of those offices allows us to increase student retention in an active way,” Boyd said. “Many of those services were located in different buildings before, making it more difficult for students to follow through with referrals. Now that we’re all in the same building, that barrier is diminished. We’ve already had a number of back-and-forth referrals between the library and the Success Hub.”
The Loper Success Hub features lounge areas and spaces for both individual and group studying/learning. That’s a common theme throughout the library.
With an open layout, new furniture and upgraded lighting, flooring, paint, ceilings, restrooms, HVAC systems and IT infrastructure, the renovated building looks and feels more modern, welcoming and comfortable. Both entrances were replaced, making them more accessible and visually appealing, and staff offices and work stations were redesigned so it’s easier for patrons to receive assistance.
Boyd wants students to view the library as a place where they can spend hours on end, rather than just dropping in for a few minutes.
“When you have a break in your day and you don’t know where to go, the library can be somewhere you can sit down and study or the library can be somewhere you can sit down and chat with your friends,” he said. “We are now in a position where the library physically matches the student wants in terms of spaces to study or be social.”
UNK junior Daniel Pelemo, a pre-medical student from Nigeria, has already noticed an uptick in library usage this semester.
“I’m grateful for the renovation, because before this project there weren’t as many people coming to the library, and I was one of them,” he said. “It didn’t really look appealing to me. I thought it was a boring place. But I’ve seen a dramatic change.”
Now, Pelemo is a student worker at the library and he utilizes the Loper Success Hub to prepare for exams. He also likes the additional study spaces and improved access to library resources.
“It’s a second place to learn,” he said. “Aside from classes, the library is a second place for you to gain knowledge.”
Calvin T. Ryan Library also features multiple classrooms and technology labs, as well as an improved archives and special collections area. The renovation removed the separation between the library and Department of Communication, which operates spaces such as the video, newspaper production and radio studios. Funding for the project came from a state-university partnership that addresses deferred maintenance across the NU System.
Like Partridge, who works as director of public finance for Northland Securities in Omaha, another former UNK student body president believes the upgrades to the 61-year-old library building will positively impact campus now and well into the future.
“I am immensely proud of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and our leadership – both past and present – for their dedication to realizing the vision of a new and enhanced Calvin T. Ryan Library,” said Nicole Kent, who graduated from UNK in spring 2020 and is currently completing a family medicine residency through the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“Libraries play a vital role in the student experience, and projects of this magnitude require significant time and effort to bring to fruition,” she added. “I look forward to my next visit to campus to witness the updates, including improvements to the building’s infrastructure and design, as well as the enhanced accessibility in spaces like the Loper Success Hub. UNK deserves heartfelt congratulations, and our leadership deserves sincere gratitude for their perseverance in successfully completing this project.”
RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY
A ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony at the renovated Calvin T. Ryan Library is scheduled for 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday.
The event includes an open house and tours, with formal remarks beginning at 4 p.m. Guests can park in Lots 10 or 14 west of the library.
A separate event dedicating the new library artwork – “cumulate” – is planned for 6:30 p.m. that day. Funded through Nebraska’s 1% for Art program, the installation was completed by Leslie Iwai, who will speak at the event.
