Library updates create cost savings, expand access

Being open and ready to serve -- including 24 hours a day during final exams -- comes with a cost for the University Library, but keeping the lights on became a lot more efficient this summer.

Between February and May, more than 2,200 light bulbs were replaced in the seven tiers, where the bulk of the physical collection is stored. The change will reduce electricity use by nearly 250,000 kWh and save $25,000 each year. By replacing inefficient fluorescent with LED bulbs, the per-bulb wattage is reduced from 38 to 18, which adds up for lights that are on about 20 hours a day. The change also makes the entire electrical system safer.

"Most of the ballasts for the fluorescent bulbs were 60-plus years old and the insulation for the wiring had become brittle, so all of that was replaced," said Brent Swanson, library budget and finance manager. "The fluorescent lights were all colors of the spectrum, but now all the light is uniform and easier on the eyes."

The project will pay for itself in as soon as 13 years, he said. Three years ago, all of the library's 10,000 light bulbs were fluorescent, but half are now LED. 

"The library's budget includes our collections, staff positions and utilities. Reducing utility expenditures allows us to redirect savings to facility improvements or access and affordability in other areas," said library communications manager Melea Licht.

Up next

The next lighting project will replace the fluorescent lights in the 210 study carrels in the tiers and add a power outlet in each, a consistent ask from library users. The project is expected to begin this fall and will bring nearly 75% of all seats in the library within arm's length of a power outlet. Five years ago the number was below 50%, Swanson said.

"Updating the lighting and power in our existing study carrels and increasing the number of pods expands access to individual study spaces many students ask for without having to make a major change to our building," Licht said.

More study space

Alum Erich Hodges and mother, Margot Tinner, matched the first $10,000 contributed to the library during the Forever True Day giving campaign last spring to help purchase another individual study pod. The newest pod, which is expected to be in place on the first floor by August, will be the sixth.

The pods provide quiet and private space for focused work and digital collaboration. They are sound dampening to minimize outside noise and a frosted glass door offers privacy. They are ideal for a video conference, job interview, study session or a telehealth appointment. An Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pod is available for users who need extra space to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. The pods can be reserved for up to three hours. The intent is to allow as many people as possible to use them.

​​Licht said the five pods are booked an average of 27.4 hours per weekday during the academic year. Since the pods were first installed in the spring of 2024, they have been booked more than 6,000 times by 1,037 distinct users. While booking is encouraged, library staff have noticed many students and even staff across campus hop into an empty pod to make a call or do some work without a formal booking.

"Students love those individual study spaces," Licht said. "We are continually surveying users to identify the improvements and additions that make the most positive impact on our users."

Study space options designated in recent years include:

• Group study spaces that accommodate two to six people.
• Open study areas, which often are used for tutoring sessions.
• A family-friendly room designed for parents and other child caregivers.
• ​​The historic Reading Room continues to provide a silent space for quiet study.