Building Excellence in Design & Construction
Monday, March 12, 2007

Taken from woollenmolzan.com

David L. Rice Library University of Southern Indiana
“If people ‘vote’ with their feet, this building is a winner.” That is the sentiment Ruth Miller, USI
Library Director, gives when asked about the new $26.3 million Rice Library. It was constructed at a
remarkable square foot cost of $127. The Grand Opening celebration was in July.

Library's Namesake
The new David L. Rice Library, designed by the architectural team of Hafer Associates and Woollen, Molzan and Partners, prominently displays the name of the University’s founding president on the rotunda. The former library, built in 1971, carried his name as well in recognition of his 25–year leadership to the campus. Dr. Rice retired in 1994.

A Collaboritive Environment
Constructed by Deig Brothers of Evansville, this new 155,000 square foot library/classroom building is more than twice the size of the former library. At five–stories high, it is the tallest building on campus. The lower level contains sixteen classrooms and a 125–seat auditorium. A separate outside entrance allows for secure 24/7 access to this level.

The first floor houses circulation and reference, media and listening rooms, two computer labs, a commons area and a two–story periodicals room flooded with natural light from a wall of windows that frame a view of the campus. A Starbucks coffee shop is also located on this level, equipped with wired and wireless access as well as a variety of seating areas. Although located within this new facility, the coffee shop is zoned outside of the security parameters of the library functions to allow for alternative hours of operation and any special events.

Stacks, reading rooms, and a variety of study areas — including 30 group study rooms — are located on the second, third and fourth floors. University Archives and Special Collections are housed on the third floor. The second floor Grand Reading Room has become quite the venue for classical music. The Music Director at USI, Dan Craig, praised the acoustics during the Grand Opening and has brought groups back for numerous performances.

Art Designed by USI faculty
A limestone relief installed on the front rotunda is the work of USI Art Professors, Kathryn Waters and John McNaughton. The 9 foot by 10 foot carved limestone panel symbolically mirrors the view as looking out of a library window. Depicting the Liberal Arts Center to the west, the relief also contains the images of a laptop computer, books, a mortarboard, a pen and a coffee mug inscribed with a USI logo. The relief was carved by Evans Limestone Company of Bedford and made possible by a major gift of Dorothea J. Schlechte, an Evansville resident and long–time supporter of the arts. “Take a Magic Carpet Ride,” designed by McNaughton, is the name of the wooden sculpture adorning the wall of the first–floor periodicals room. The art, approximately 7 1/2 feet wide by 13 feet long, also includes a six–inch hand–carved wooden fringe at the top and bottom.

An Awesome Building
When asked how the students react to their new library, Ruth Miller recalls that: “Some who were on campus last year walked into the building in late August and said, ‘Wow!’ and ‘Awesome!’ and seemed almost overwhelmed at the dramatic change... we overhear them talking to each other about how much they like the building (most have their favorite places). For weeks earlier in the semester several of us made a point of asking students what they liked or didn’t like; consistently their comments were strongly positive. They like light, color, public and private spaces, quiet and noisy spaces, comfortable chairs, variety/options, and wireless access.”