Art from the McIntosh Gallery adds a pop of colour and warmth to the space. Plants and a beautiful new moss wall bring in a touch of nature and tie in nicely with the colourful furniture.
The striking new spiral staircase is the perfect combination of style and function. It allows for easy access to the mezzanine and its eye-catching wood cladding adds another natural touch to complement Weldon’s Brutalist design.
Spaces to fit your needs
The study spaces surrounding the Learning Commons on the first floor will open in the coming weeks. The enhanced spaces include fixtures and furnishings to match the rest of the décor, and public computers. More importantly, these rooms offer seating for an additional 280 students.
The Community Room provides campus and community partners with premium event space. Since opening in early fall, it’s been used for workshops, orientation sessions, student leadership fairs, and USC club’s annual general meetings, just to name a few events. The space is so flexible it can accommodate any event set-up.
Need a comfy spot to curl up with a book? Check out our new reading lounge located on the mezzanine.
The UXLab, also located on the mezzanine, offers library staff and external partners a collaborative space to engage the community in user testing complete with digital displays, computers, configurable tables and breakout seating.
The Family Room is now available to students looking for a private space to do coursework alongside young children. Kids and caregivers can feel at home with a couch, play mat, kids table and chairs, children’s books, a gaming chair, and easy access to family-friendly washrooms. The space also features everything you need to get your work done, including a table and chairs, and a large TV for connecting your devices and sharing your work.
At your service
Our new Info Desk opened this fall and has already been put to good use with staff fielding nearly 10,000 questions from students, faculty and researchers.
We also opened a new print, copy, scan room on the first floor, your go-to spot for well… just that! It also features our self-serve holds and course readings shelf offering easy access to items pulled from our stacks and other library locations, including 17 partnering institutions from across Ontario.
In November, we launched the Student Services Hub, a one-stop-shop for students looking to take their course assignments to the next level. From choosing a research topic, to finding sources, to preparing your bibliography – our team of library experts can help you every step of the way with drop-in research support. Students can also take advantage of writing support or book a consultation with our partners in Learning Development and Success.
Next steps
All that remains of the first phase of the Weldon Revitalization Project is a refreshed façade for Western’s Access Lab and Pride Library. We expect to complete both in February.
This January, our Project Oversight Team will dive into planning for phase two projects. First on the agenda? Updating the Space Master Plan to capture all the changes from phase one and to review outstanding projects, including a Digital Scholarship Centre and Graduate Student Commons.
We don’t yet know how phase two will unfold or our timeline, but we do know that your continued engagement and input will be key to our success. Stay tuned for more information on how to weigh in on the future of Weldon Library.