Robarts Revitalization

Opened in 1973, many of the facilities in the Robarts Library Building are due for renovations. Students who use Robarts are part of the net generation and expect services on demand, at all hours of the day, and statistics for visits to Robarts continue to rise.  To meet these needs extensive plans for the revitalization of Robarts have been developed jointly by the library and Diamond and Schmitt Architects.

Scope of the plans call for extensive improvements to study areas throughout the building:

• study rooms on the 2d, 3rd, and 4th floors
• all 15 apex reading rooms on floors 9-13
• improved lighting, internet connections, and adequate furniture to be included
  

When the work is completed,  300,000 square feet on 9 floors of the existing building will have been renovated;  a five-story, 58,000 square foot addiition with 1200 new study spaces will be in place; and there will be a new entrance from Huron Street.

Enclosure of the patio spaces on the 2nd floor with glass to create usable space at the top of the current entrance stairs. This architect's rendering from Diamond and Schmitt shows glass walls at the top of the stairs:

The construction of the new wing devoted exclusively to study space on the west side of the building will alter the current west profile of the library, shown here from the south:

Here are two views of the  the proposed new extension, shown in these two images from Diamond and Schmitt:

Current progress on the project can be seen on the Robarts Revitalization page.

The library acknowledges and appreciates the lead donation of the Morrison family to the renovations of the Robarts Library Building; the Morrison donation has been matched by funds from the University and the Province of Ontario.

For more information on what remains to be done, contact  Julie Hannaford.