The University of Arizona Libraries have received a $7 million dollar gift to renovate its science-engineering library.

Part of the money will include new student collaboration spaces.

When most people think about upgrading a library, they might imagine more computers and less print material. But for the science engineering library at UA, it means a range of upgrades for a building that was erected in the early 1960s.

Shan Sutton, dean of University Libraries said “This building was really designed as primarily a book warehouse. There’s one way in and one way out.”

He said the re-design takes into account different learning ecosystems. “The ground floor and the floor above is really more about groups working together. It’s noisier. Yet, if you go up to floors four and five, you’ll encounter more of the traditional library space: quiet, people working solo.”

Renovations will begin in 2019 and take about a year to complete.