University of Portland will host a public open house for the newly opened and renovated Clark Library on Friday, Sept. 27 from 2 – 5 p.m. on campus, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. The Clark Library is open after over a year of major renovation. The event is free and open to the public.
The open house will feature guided tours on the hour and readings by Brian Doyle, award winning author and editor of Portland Magazine, on the half hour. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided.
The Clark Library’s renovation and rebuilding project, which cost an estimated $12.5 million, began in May 2012 and was opened to students and faculty in August. The new, modern library was built on the root structure of the old and now offers current technologies, collaborative and flexible learning spaces, and multi-format information resources. The renovation includes a glass-walled entrance facing the Academic Quad, spacious rooms lit with natural light, compact book shelving, updated study labs, reference and technology assistant stations, and state-of-the-art media labs.
The library has added a Heritage version of the Saint John’s Bible, one of only 45 institutions to do so. The beautifully handwritten and illuminated Bible is displayed prominently in the new building, attesting to the library’s role as a spiritual as well as intellectual hub of the campus.
“The Clark Library has been transformed into a modern and beautiful academic library,” Drew Harrington, dean of the Clark Library, said. “We are enormously pleased to welcome visitors to the library, which features a variety of flexible, colorful, and technology-rich learning spaces.”
Many foundations and individuals have given generously to the renovation, including the family of Maurie Clark, a major benefactor for the original library, built in 1958 and named in honor of his father, Wilson W. Clark, in 1972.
The gifts are part of the University’s RISE Campaign, which was announced in December 2010 and seeks to raise $175 million by 2014. The RISE Campaign, which has raised more than $162 million to date, is one of the largest development campaigns ever for a Pacific Northwest private college or university.
The campaign’s goals are divided into four major themes, each with funding targets: (1) Pursuing academic excellence and faculty funding – $70 million; (2) Providing access for all students and direct assistance – $45 million; (3) Developing faith and leadership – $10 million; and (4) Enriching the campus community and physical resources – $50 million.
For more information on the open house, please contact Kathy O’Connell Riddell at (503) 943-7775 or oconnell@up.edu.
To learn more about the library, please visit http://library.up.edu and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151488779086408.1073741842.21901631407&type =