Courtesy | External Affairs

Mossey Library’s renovated circulation desk area, a new staircase to the second floor, and access to the second floor restrooms and study rooms will begin a rolling opening Nov. 5–11, according to Hillsdale’s Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé. 

“The Mossey Library circulation area and staff office area will be available to students, faculty and staff the second week of November when the temporary wall comes down,”  Péwé said in an email. “Access into the building will still be from the temporary south entry that you use today.”

The earliest the west entry of the new library addition would be available is December 2027, Péwé said. 

The renovated circulation desk will return to its previous location, and a new circular staircase, illuminated by a skylight, will provide access to the second floor.  

“We’ll also have, thank goodness, renovated multi-stall restrooms for men and women, available again on the second floor,” Library Director Maurine McCourry said. “Having the restrooms, instead of just the four available now, is probably going to have the biggest impact on your library experience this year.” 

McCourry said she and her assistants have shared a former study room converted into an office.

While the library staff has done a better job at adapting to the logistical challenges of the construction than she expected, McCourry said the team is looking forward to having a bit more space. 

“It’s going to be a relief,” McCourry said. “We’ve made it work, but it’s been awkward.” 

Beyond the basic convenience that the renovation will provide, McCourry pointed to the broader implications of the library’s ongoing construction.

“We value learning. We value the printed word. We value old ideas, and we preserve those ideas in printed books,” McCourry said. “I think it is very important to what we do and to do what we believe, so having more of that space is all for the good of supporting the mission of Hillsdale College.”

Sophomore Jordan Nelson said that he was excited to show guests to the college the new library. 

“At last year’s Thanksgiving address for the SAB Thanksgiving dinner, Dr. Whalen talked about being romantically in love with the library, and people found that really funny,” Nelson said. “But I think there was some truth in that: Our pursuit here is academic, and the heart of that is the library.” 

Freshman Ezra Hutchinson, a student employee who works at the circulation desk, said the improvements will make his job much easier. 

“The new circulation desk is going to be a lot nicer, a little bit more bougie than it is now,” Hutchinson said. “And the restroom access is going to be huge. There’s nothing more annoying than getting up from being locked in on a paper and going to the bathroom, all of which are full, so that when you go back to your paper you’re not locked in because you had to wait around for a half-hour.” 

Hutchinson added that the library will be something the college should be proud of. 

“It’s going to look awesome,” Hutchinson said. “Everything is looking incredibly pristine.”