Author: admin

As of 4:30 this afternoon, Forsyth Library is closed for renovation. A lot of work has happened over the past few months to prepare the building for construction to start this summer:

• 1.1 million books were moved either by our staff or by the crew from A. Arnold (a collection moving company out of Kansas City)
• 22 tours were given to stakeholders, faculty, staff, and community members interested in learning more about the renovation
• 17 staff offices were relocated to Custer Hall
• Furniture was moved out of offices and study spaces
• TVs, projector screens, and other technology were removed

The photos below give a glimpse into the labor involved and the progress up until this point:

As one door closes, another opens. A Welcome Desk in Custer Hall 304 will open on Monday morning as the main service point for Forsyth Library for the duration of the summer while the building is closed. Patrons can pickup or return books and interlibrary loan materials and checkout technology. About 78% of our collection is also available online, anytime through the library catalog at fhsu.edu/library. The Media Lab is located in Custer Hall 310 and is available by reservation.

Stay tuned for more progress …

The FHSU mascot, Victor E. Tiger, notices that the library is looking quite different this semester. In preparation for construction to start in May 2024, books are being boxed up to be stored off-site, signs and art are being removed from walls, and technology and furniture are being removed from certain rooms and spaces. The library will remain open through the Spring 2024 semester. Updates about specific spaces, services, and collections can be found on the Renovation Status page of Forsyth Library’s website and in the Spring 2024 and Beyond post.

Today is Fort Hays State University’s 4th annual Giving Day – a 24-hour fundraising event. Show your Tiger Pride while supporting the Forsyth Library Renovation by following these three easy steps!

1. GIVE: Every gift makes a difference, no matter the size. Make your gift on or before April 16 at FHSUGivingDay.com!

2. SHARE: Help spread the word! Email your friends and family to encourage their participation. Post on social media your reason for giving to Forsyth Library’s Renovation. 

3. CELEBRATE: Follow the FHSU Foundation on social media for Giving Day updates and share the successes!

1. 1.  Facebook: @FHSUFoundation
   2. Instagram: @fhsu_foundation
   3. X (formally Twitter): @fhsu_foundation
   4. LinkedIn: @Fort Hays State University Foundation

WHY GIVE:
Forsyth Library’s Renovation project will transform the current building into an active, inspiring library, demonstrating the University’s commitment to students’ academic success. Renovations will provide vital updates to infrastructure, such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and wifi. The upgraded facility will support students’ research and study needs–as well as provide spaces for collaboration and engaging academic events. We proudly preserve FHSU history by designing appropriate climate controls for our archival materials. Forsyth Library is also thrilled to support partners in our space, including the Honors College, Makerspace, Institute for New Media Studies, and Writing Center, which have been instrumental in helping design spaces that will best meet their users’ needs. 

WHAT IS THE GOAL:
Our goal is to raise an additional $3 million towards this project over the next two years. Every gift makes a difference, no matter the size. Those who make a gift will receive some pretty cool FHSU merch!
Support the Forsyth Library Renovation

Thank you in advance for participating in Giving Day and helping future generations of FHSU Tigers learn, create, and innovate in a newly renovated library. 

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State University celebrated the upcoming renovation of Forsyth Library with a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday afternoon. A packed crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of plans for the library’s nearly $28 million transformation.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason, Dean of Library Services Ginger Williams, and FHSU Foundation President and CEO Jason Williby shared their remarks at the groundbreaking about how these updates will uphold the university’s commitment to keeping the library a central academic and cultural hub.

“Forsyth Library has always been the heart of Fort Hays State, but it’s time to modernize the library’s amenities for future generations of FHSU students. Beyond fixing aging elements like the leaking roof, weathered stairs, and faulty HVAC systems, the renovated library will be serene with lasting structural integrity,”  Williby said.

“This is more than a construction project,” Williams said. “It’s an investment in the future of learning at FHSU. Since the building opened in 1967, the way students use libraries has evolved beyond our facility’s current capabilities.”

Williams noted that beyond revamping the library’s appearance, the renovation will bring life to the space, making it a haven for focused study and a vibrant hub for innovation and collaboration. Student-requested features, like more group and individual study rooms, books on each floor, increased natural light, improved Wi-Fi, and a café, will make the library a must for students needing a quiet space away from busy campus life.

Partners in the library’s large transformation include FHSU’s Honors College, Institute for New Media Studies, MakerSpace, and Writing Center – all of which will be housed in the renovated Forsyth Library to provide convenient access for students. The renovation project will also allow FHSU to preserve the past by taking special care of university archival materials in a new climate-controlled space. Williams closed with a thank you to Senator Moran for his instrumental role in securing $19 million in federal grant funding to help make the project a reality.

Senator Moran grew up near Hays and understands how significant this project is to western Kansas.

“The future of this part of Kansas, and in many ways, the future of our entire state, is determined by our educational institutions,” Moran said. “For us, what happens at Fort Hays State is a determining factor of whether or not we have a future.”

He emphasized how critical libraries are in developing a highly skilled and trained citizenry and workforce before wrapping up his remarks with a story.

“Libraries matter to me because growing up in rural western Kansas, they were the doors and the windows to the rest of the world,” Moran said. “We want Forsyth Library to be the best of the best – to have the necessary services to connect people here with the rest of the world. I'm honored to be here and look forward to this development.”

Construction will begin this summer with initial work on the front foyer and south entrance. Phased construction with PGAV Architects out of Kansas City and PWC in Hays as general contractor will continue for about two years, with completion expected in summer 2026.

Those who couldn’t attend the groundbreaking event will have two final opportunities to tour the library on April 20 and May 4 before the facility officially closes for construction this summer. Guests can RSVP for a tour at foundation.fhsu.edu/forsyth-library-event.

In addition, Forsyth Library’s blog – libraryrenovation.blogs.fhsu.edu/forsythrenovation – is a great resource for those wanting to follow renovation progress.

President Tisa Mason sincerely thanked those who’ve already stepped forward to financially support the renovation or have named a space within the library. The university is calling on alumni and friends of the library to help close a $3 million gap needed for the Forsyth Library renovations.

There are several ways to support this incredible and much-needed project. Make a gift at foundation.fhsu.edu/forsyth-library-renovation in any amount, or consider naming a space in the library in honor of a friend, family member, loved one, or business. More than 70 spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis in varying amounts. This could include naming a classroom or study space, the upper-level gallery space, or welcome desk. Mary Hammond with the FHSU Foundation is available to answer questions at 785-628-4728 or by email at mshammond2@fhsu.edu for those inspired to leave their mark on this exciting project.

In the photo from left to right: Josh Thomas (Senior Project Superintendent at PWC); Dana Cunningham (Director of Facilities Planning at FHSU); Ginger Williams (Dean of Forsyth Library at FHSU); Jerry Moran (U.S. Senator for Kansas); Tisa Mason (President of FHSU); Jason Williby (President and CEO of FHSU Foundation); Jill Arensdorf (Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at FHSU); Sarah Wasinger (President and CEO the Chamber in Hays, KS)

By: FHSU Foundation; The original press release can be found at fhsu.edu/news

Changes are underway at Forsyth Library as we prepare for the full renovation of the facility. Below is a broader timeline of the current and upcoming changes at Forsyth Library.

What has already changed:

1. 13 of 18 Forsyth Library faculty & staff have moved to offices on the 2^nd and 3^rd floor of Custer Hall. We will remain here until Phase 1 of renovation is completed.
2. Partner organizations have all moved to temporary locations: Honors College to Picken 123, MakerSpace to Picken 102, and Writing Center to Rarick 157.
3. As of this week, the government documents collection is in the process of being boxed up for off-site storage.
4. Some technology and furniture has been removed. Additional site preparation work has occurred on the lower level.

What will change this semester:

1. Government documents and bound periodicals collections will be moved to off-site storage for the duration of the renovation. These materials can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
2. General collection books will be moved to compact shelving on the lower level of Forsyth Library. During this process, materials in motion will be temporarily unavailable. This is a complex move and we do not have a timeline regarding which areas will move when. Expect limited access to print materials and to use Interlibrary Loan.
3. We will stop accepting new reservations for and will soon begin closing down meeting rooms, the computer lab, the South Study Area, and study rooms.

What will change this summer:

1. We will have no access to the Forsyth Library building during summer 2024 (beginning approximately May 13^th). Heavy demolition begins.
2. Technology will be available for checkout from our temporary location in Custer Hall 304.
3. Any books, articles, or other information resources needed can be requested through Interlibrary Loan and picked up in Custer Hall.
4. Faculty and staff who will remain in Forsyth Library during phased renovation will be temporarily relocated to Custer Hall for summer 2024.
5. There will be a construction fence blocking off space around Forsyth Library.

What to expect during the remainder of the renovation:

1. Limited access to Forsyth Library will be possible, including the main circulation desk and Special Collections areas.
2. There will not be open study space available. We look forward to unveiling new spaces in 2026, but in the meantime, students should seek alternative study areas.
3. Print materials from the general collection will be accessible outside of work hours by library personnel only. Items can be requested for pickup by contacting the library or by placing a hold in our catalog.
4. Government documents and bound periodicals remain offsite. Access to this information remains available through Interlibrary Loan.

What will not change:

Online resources, such as access to journals articles and databases, ebooks, archives online, and Scholars Repository, will not be impacted. Library faculty remain available for research help and information literacy instruction. We can all expect the renovation to be very disruptive to our use of space, but we will continue providing library services, including access to information, research help, and supporting information literacy instruction, throughout the process.

Thank you for your enthusiasm about this project. Perhaps a little patience will be required and appreciated. Feel free to reach out to Ginger Williams or to your library liaison if you have questions.

Helpful links for more information:

• Renovation status page with updates on where to find people, how to access resources, etc. https://www.fhsu.edu/library/spaces/renovation-status
• Renovation blog with renovation floor plans, renderings, and information about the new spaces: https://libraryrenovation.blogs.fhsu.edu/forsythrenovation/

In the current library, four retrofitted group study rooms have provided a reservable space for 6-12 people to meet to collaborate on group projects or hold a group study session. In 2023, more than 515 reservations were made, in addition to walk-in use of these group study rooms.

In the renovated library, the number of group study rooms will more than triple, providing 15 group study rooms with room capacities ranging from 4-6 people. Each room will be intentionally designed and optimized for collaborative group work, equipped with large screens for sharing presentations and group documents, whiteboards, and other collaborative tools. Furnishings in the group study rooms will vary, with different configurations of furniture, lighting, and natural light.

On the lower level, two group study rooms (with a four-person capacity) line the north wall and five group study rooms (with a four-person capacity) are nestled near the center core of the library.

On the main level, four group study rooms (with a four-person capacity) line the west wall and three group study rooms (with a six-person capacity) line the east wall. Each group study room on the main level intentionally incorporates exterior windows.

On the upper level, one group study room (with a four-person capacity) is in the southwest corner near the Honors College and Dean’s Suite.

Each study group will find their favorite room based on the different furniture and lighting options, foot traffic, and availability. If you’re interested in donating to the library renovation project or naming one of these group study rooms or other spaces in the library, please contact Mary Hammond at the FHSU Foundation.

The Honors College strives to advance FHSU’s core values by fostering students’ engagement with their academic and professional fields, the campus, the community, and the world. Throughout their academic career, Honors students actively pursue personal and professional opportunities aligned with their academic field and future aspirations. Established in 2015, the FHSU Honors College has been located on the lower level of Forsyth Library in an area adjacent to the MakerSpace. However, following the renovation, the Honors College will move to the southwest corner of the upper level of the newly renovated library.

Dr. Kevin Amidon, Director of the Honors College, explains the significance of their location, stating “the library is a hub for collaboration and network-building among faculty, staff, students, online stakeholders, and the community. The Honors College mission is deeply rooted in engagement and service with all these groups, so we’re very excited to expand and deepen our partnership with Forsyth Library through this renovation.”

Honors students forge strong bonds, congregating in the Honors College for individual and group study sessions, as well as collaborative opportunities. Dr. Amidon reflects on the design process, noting, “when working with the architects to shape the Honors College area, we considered the strengths of the current space and explored how we could introduce new opportunities for academic collaboration and small events.” The new Honors College area is designed to be an inviting space, welcoming prospective students and families during campus visits while providing a conducive environment for currently enrolled Honors students to study and collaborate. The space includes an open lounge area, several offices, and a conference room shared with the Library Dean’s Suite.

In February 2024, the Honors College temporarily relocated to Picken Hall 123. Amidst this transition, Dr. Amidon assures that “throughout the renovation period, all our services be available to the campus community, Honors students, and prospective students and their families.”

To stay updated on everything Honors College, visit their website and sign up to receive their biannual newsletter for Honors alumni and stakeholders by emailing fhsuhonorscollege@fhsu.edu.