Yesterday's ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the formal opening and completion of the University's Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library and the Mary and David Harrison Institute for American History Literature and Culture on McCormick Road.
Organizers said 670 of the libraries' donors and community members turned out to celebrate the completion of the $26 million, three-year effort.
The new facility is 80 percent underground and contains 72,000 square feet of space that will house exhibits, the libraries' Special Collections Department and visiting scholars.
Attendees hailed the completion of the project and anticipated that it would impact student life on Grounds by making library resources accessible to both students and scholars.
"The purpose is to make possible more student-faculty collaboration using library resources," said Charlotte Morford, Director of Communications for the University Libraries.
Students have been able to access Special Collections since the beginning of this semester, and the building has housed the office of Leonard Robinson, head of the Africa Society, who is teaching a University Seminar on Democracy in Southern Africa. The American Journey's exhibit opened to the public for the first time yesterday and will be on display through next July.
Librarians said they expect strong student interest in both the library and the exhibits which showcase some of the most prominent parts of the University's collection.
"We've always had strong student interest," Special Collections Director Mike Plunkett said. "For years students have used our collections and we hope this will increase student interest."
The ceremony included speeches from University President John T. Casteen, III and University Librarian Karin Wittenborg. In addition, Marjorie H. Webb, the daughter of David Harrison, in whose honor the building is named, and her daughter Marjorie A. Webb, a 2001 University graduate, spoke. Webb is the fifth generation of Harrisons to be involved with the University and served on the University Library's student advisory committee while she attended the University.
Most attendees said they were glad that the noise and inconvenience of construction was over and the University could begin reaping the benefits of the project.
"The building was challenging to build because of the underground component which required a whole 50 feet in depth," said Bruce Knight of Skanska Construction, which oversaw the project.
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