Hayden library to close for renovations Dec. 19
Hayden Library’s study spaces will not be accessible from Dec. 19 through September 2020, when the library reopens. The last day to browse or request Hayden’s general book collections will be Dec. 15.
Although Hayden’s general book collections will be inaccessible during the renovation process, “more than 90 percent of Hayden general collections are also available by request through Borrow Direct and Interlibrary Borrowing,” according to the MIT Libraries website. Their website also contains a list of alternate available collections and services.
Plans for the new library space include a café overlooking the Lipchitz Courtyard, eight new group study rooms, and a flexible event and teaching space.
Director of Library Communications Brigham Fay and Deputy Director Tracy Gabridge ’88 wrote in an email to The Tech, “Library space has to serve a lot of different functions and accommodate a variety of study styles, so it was a challenge to meet all those requirements in a renovation project that is tightly scoped and budgeted.”
The renovated Hayden will accommodate all types of learners, both those who seek a quiet environment and those who seek a social environment, according to Fay and Gabridge.
Fay and Gabridge also wrote that the new renovations were designed to be an impactful destination for the MIT community. “It has been designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind, and we hope it will attract community members who have never even used Hayden before.”
“We thank the MIT community for their patience during the Hayden closure and are grateful to Campus Planning and Facilities, whose planning made it possible to be closed for just one semester. We think these improvements will be well worth it, and cannot wait to welcome everyone to the new Hayden,” wrote Fay and Gabridge.