NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION
Liberty University’s rapid rate of growth has forecast about a 30% increase in the student
residential population by 2016. In order to accommodate Liberty’s expanding enrollment, the
first phase of a sweeping master planning effort was completed in spring 2011, establishing
approximately 2 million square feet of new building over the next 10 years.
The plan’s new Academic Commons strikes a delicate balance between collegiate architecture and
traditional campus landscape and provides Liberty with a carefully orchestrated group of tree-lined
quads and courtyards that will serve as the core of its expanding grounds. Bike paths and trails
between new and existing parts of the campus help to unify all facets of university life, promoting
pedestrian circulation and carving out dynamic spaces for teaching, learning, and recreation.
A daring occupiable roofscape over a new basketball practice facility connects academic and
residential precincts and creates a continuous pedestrian route between two previously disjointed
parts of campus. Expanded transit service and improved parking facilities help round-out the longterm infrastructural improvements being implemented.
Along with future academic buildings, a large renovation of Arthur S. DeMoss Learning Center, a
new 3,500 bed residential quad, a new library, and a new practice facility overlooking a campus
lake are only a few of the first phase highlights for Liberty’s campus. Phase-two planning efforts
will feature a future dining hall, expanded athletic venues and a new sports arena facility, and
a 250’ tall Landmark Tower – which will further centralize activity, shape circulation, and create
an identifiable landscape for the growing residential student population to call home. When
complete, the campus planning effort will have transformed a sprawling suburban campus into a
truly inspirational home for one of the fastest-growing universities in the country.
A NEW ACADEMIC CENTERPIECE
As the primary focus of the first phase of the master plan, Liberty’s Library is a vibrant hub of
student activity situated at the spatial and social heart of campus. Surrounded by inviting grass
slopes, shaded café terraces, generous paved plazas, and a lake specially formed to connect
the surrounding campus with its unique local ecosystem – the library is a central destination on
campus. In the evening, the library becomes a lantern, marking its presence at the intersection
of the major campus pathways with an illuminated cupola and a double-height reading room that
fronts the new Commons with an active, light-filled space and heralds Liberty’s commitment to
its students’ success.
The library plan’s slightly splayed configuration permits the building to react to unique aspects of
its surrounding sites while simultaneously inviting students into its generous atrium. The hinged
plan connects various campus pathways, which naturally draw students to and through the
building at all times of day.
Pulling from three surrounding student housing precincts, the library has become a communal
living room for students – a central gathering point where learning, living, studying, and
playing can meet and recombine in unique combinations. This programmatic elasticity and the
availability of flexible space have never existed before on Liberty’s campus, and students are
embracing this fresh approach to 21st-century learning with enthusiasm.
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
USER-CENTERED LIBRARY
Compared to prototypical libraries of the past, Liberty’s new flagship library reverses the notion of book storage as the central motive of
a library’s design in favor of a user-centric layout that places student activity in the foreground. Because of the increasing digitization of
resources and a waning reliance on physical books and media, a new approach that places the users at the heart of the design helps to
create an environment replete with places to study, learn, and collaborate.
The building provides a wide range of flexible spaces that encourage students to meet, work, and socialize in increasingly informal
groupings. The building is also strategically organized to provide a full range of opportunities for study, from completely quiet individual
study zones, to small and medium sized group study rooms and lounges, to the large Learning Commons and public gathering areas.
Additionally, the building plays host to a wide array of non-traditional library uses, from concerts and theater performances in the main
atrium, to campus-wide lectures and symposia in the multi-purpose event spaces. Various academic departments have started to utilize
the library as an alternative to the staid, static, poorly lit classrooms they’ve been using for decades.
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
PERVASIVE TECHNOLOGY
The celebration of cutting-edge scholarship is evident in the sheer number of technological features deployed in the library’s various
learning spaces. A network of 38 group study rooms and associated learning lounges – all linked by an electronic self-scheduling
system – serve as the nexus of the library’s collaborative learning environment. These rooms may be reserved remotely or with the
assistance of library staff and can accommodate a wide range of uses.
Pervasive media strategies in each group study room engage learners of every ability level. Writable walls and tables along with large
screen monitors help to remove communicative boundaries and further student collaboration. Liberty’s large and growing network of
online learners is able to connect with resources and library personnel through a robust virtual research assistance program housed
within the core of the building’s Customer Service Center. In this way, the library serves as a creative space, inspiring learning by
breaking down barriers to access to a vast array of resources for in-person and online learning needs.
Other exciting and innovative technological features include a two-story interactive media wall (made up of 198 microscreens and three
motion trackers) which showcases student and faculty academic accomplishments and keeps the campus connected via social media
feeds. An Active Learning Classroom fosters hi-tech, interactive collaborative learning while interactive touch-screen tabletops provide
an innovative way to access archival materials as well as academic and special content from various departments across campus.
Additionally, high-speed wireless connectivity and 160 public computers allow students to utilize technology with ease from any point
within the building.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER LOCATED IN THE MAIN ATRIUM ON LEVEL 1
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
1
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER
The library’s centrally located hub
for building information, research
support, and resource requests
2
FORUM
A large set of spilling steps that can
be used for informal gathering and
4
doubles as audience seating for
3
events in the atrium
3
BOOK TOWER
A four-story browsable collection
housing 56,000+ volumes of the
2
library’s newest and most frequently
used materials
7
1
4
LAKESIDE STAIR ATRIUM
The building’s main vertical
circulation zone, connecting the
Learning Commons and overlooking
the new lake landscape
5
5
CAFÉ & TERRACES
A vibrant hub of student activity,
located at the intersection of
major campus paths
6
6
TECHNOLOGY COMMONS
The heart of the library’s
computing operations with
80 Mac and PC desktops and
stations for group work
7
ACTIVE LEARNING CLASSROOM
The library’s premier flexible
classroom, outfitted with cuttingedge collaborative technologies
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
CUSTOMER SERVICE MODEL
One unmistakable trademark of Liberty University’s
community is its dedication to serving others. Whether it
is your first time on campus or you’re a returning alumnus,
you can’t help but notice the good-natured willingness
INFO
on the part of the students and staff to be helpful hosts.
INNOVATION &
INCUBATION
CAFÉ
This phenomenon is nowhere more evident than at the
new library. Customer service was a central part of the
planning process, and became a major component of
the physical design of the building. During the design
LEARNING
SPACES
ATRIUM
CSC
4
COLLECTION
process, Liberty insisted that barriers between users and
library staff be dismantled and that patrons be able to
INFO
readily locate the expertise they required with ease. This
style service found in the hospitality industry, celebrates
learning and transforms research and discovery from a
3
1
active model of assistance, inspired by the conciergeCOLLABORATION
INDIVIDUAL
STUDY
TIERS OF LIBRARIANS AND STAFF WITH
VARYING LEVELS OF EXPERTISE OPERATE
IN CONCERT TO ASSIST VISITORS
2
once-daunting chore into an interactive process that is
accessible and fun with the proper support.
CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER
The epicenter of the library’s support system is the Customer Service Center (CSC). The CSC is the central nervous system for the
entire library, where tiers of librarians and staff with varying levels of expertise operate in concert to assist visitors. Readily visible from
the key entry points in the building, the CSC invites users to interface with staff when searching for resources, technical assistance, or
destinations within the library. Depending on the detail and rigor of a request, questions may be answered by a student employee at the
first layer of the help desk or fielded to someone with more familiarity with the library’s collections, whose location deeper in the CSC’s
interior represents his or her deeper, more integrated knowledge base.
Easily identifiable help desks are strategically located throughout the rest of the building. Many of the vital functions of the central
CSC can be performed at these satellite locations which, when considered together, create a continuous blanket of customer service
throughout the building. Small groups of printers and copiers are associated with each station to provide students with easy access to
necessary equipment, and each help desk provides assistance with room reservations, book requests, and wayfinding.
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
While the presence of media and technology in the library is obvious, it doesn’t come at the
expense of the printed material. While other universities are scaling back their acquisition
plans, Liberty has mounted a campaign to grow their holdings from 250,000 volumes to
nearly 500,000 volumes in the next 10 years.
A state-of-the-art Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), found in a handful of
libraries in the nation currently, allows Liberty to house their growing collection, using just
1/7th of the space needed for traditional shelving. In order to facilitate browsing, the library
displays approximately 67,000 of the newest and most frequently used materials in a fourstory book tower and two-story reading room. This physical browsing is enhanced by a
virtual browse feature incorporated into the library’s catalog which displays all related items,
regardless of format or storage location, on a virtual bookshelf
The combination of the ASRS system and book tower translate into more open space for
21st learning environments dedicated to collaboration and research, as well as shared
campus-wide multipurpose areas. Liberty’s Library is unusual – compared to more traditional
academic university libraries – in that about 60% of the library is dedicated to individual and
collaborative spaces, and less than 10% is dedicated to actual collection space. Perhaps
these percentages reflect the space-saving effects of the ASRS system – which is designed
to store approximately 420,000 volumes, or perhaps these percentages are equally
reflective of Liberty’s customer service mantra, which underscores the value of shared
resources that are readily available, as opposed to tucked-away in hard-to-navigate stacks.
BALANCING TRADITION AND INNOVATION
A large design consideration of the new library involved balancing advanced
technological features and novel interactive learning spaces with the traditional
aspects and culture of an academic library setting.
The openness of the library functions to illuminate the work going on and
display the academic activity taking place within while also connecting
students to the campus and heritage beyond its walls. Spanning five flours
and featuring approximately 50,000 square feet of interior and exterior glass,
the library provides stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the
surrounding campus. The carefully calibrated glazing systems also ensure that
a large amount of high-quality natural light penetrates deep into the building.
Multiple balconies on the upper levels, terraces off of the ground floors, and
a rooftop garden which provides close-up views of the library’s green roof all
provide places for students to take advantage of Virginia’s agreeable climate
nearly year-round.
More traditional spaces such as the Caudell Reading Room, designated for
quiet study and reading, and the barrel vaulted Archive Reading Room foster
formal moments of reflection. The inspirational natural setting and introspective
library spaces connect students and staff, intellectually and emotionally, with
their learning aims and the campus setting of which they are integrally a part.
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE GROWTH
As the cornerstone of a planned $500 million campus rebuilding effort, Liberty’s Library establishes a precedent for future design and
expansion. The design team worked to create a set of architectural design guidelines that would inform patterns of growth as well as
aesthetic choices. Working with the university, the design team identified a selection of architectural elements that together create a
cohesive, unified architectural language that can flexibly respond to changes and additions in the campus fabric. From traditional building
elements (arcades, colonnades, hipped roofs) and a palette of local materials to designations for site lighting, furniture, and fixtures,
these design guidelines provide a powerful tool to help Liberty continue to expand and enhance the totality of its campus environment.
Signage and wayfinding strategies reinforce this architectural language. In addition to clearly and creatively identifying all of the many
spaces in the library, signage and wayfinding strategies assign a hierarchy of materials to these spaces – reserving more durable,
permanent materials for larger spaces (such as the grand stair and Caudell Reading Room) and more agile features for smaller,
interactive areas.
In all, these architectural design guidelines – reinforced at every scale and in every design and material choice in the library – will foster
a sense of cohesion and identity for the Liberty campus that is lasting and meaningful for current and future generations.
BUILDING INFORMATION:
SQUARE FOOTAGE
170,000 GSF
SEAT COUNT USER
STAFF
EXTERIOR
FORUM
3165
2500
205
300
160
PHYSICAL COLLECTION 314,168
Browsing67,000
ASRS
227,000
COMPUTERS
171
GROUP STUDY ROOMS 6 person rooms
8 person rooms
10 person rooms
14 person rooms 38
22 10
4
2
PROGRAM DISTRIBUTION*
USER SPACE
53% (NET)
CAFÉ & SCHOLARS
7%
OFFICE18%
SUPPORT
5%
COLLECTION
8%
UNDESIGNATED
9%
*Programming provided
by brightspot strategy.
NEW LIBRARY & ACADEMIC COMMONS
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
200 E MARKET STREET , CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902
PH : 434.296.5684
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