Renovations renew library, reconfigure offices
Students have been enjoying the rewards of recent renovations to DDH's Herbert Lockwood Willett Library and to the offices. New lighting makes for better reading and for better work on computers and tablets, and it is more aesthetically pleasing and energy-efficient. A new paint color scheme, inspired by the Indiana limestone on the building's exterior, brightens everything. Furnishings that were original to the building have been repurposed for offices and for new workstations in the library; entirely redone electrical wiring supports those spaces.
Dean Yvonne Gilmore's office is now on the first floor, a boon for her collaboration with students and with the dean. New "old" doors match existing woodwork and demarcate the deans' offices from the foyer. In the mailroom and cloakroom, ceilings have been restored to their original height and new built-in furnishings have been added to create workspace for student office assistants and storage; colors inspired by the chapel ceiling glimmer from the back of new, larger student mailboxes.
The project first took shape in conversations about the library among students and architect Paul Steinbrecher, a trustee who regularly attends Monday dinners and programs, and in planning for office spaces that support collaborative work between the dean and associate dean.
The project gained momentum when the Capital Area of the Christian Church included funding toward Willett Library refurbishment in its capital campaign.