University of Saint Joseph awarded $300,000 grant for library renovations

  WEST HARTFORD, CONN. – The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has awarded a grant of $300,000 to the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), in support of significant improvements to the Pope Pius XII Library on the University's main campus in West Hartford. The renovation project is under way and will continue throughout 2013.
"We are most grateful for the generous support of the Hartford Foundation as we ensure that the Pope Pius XII Library continues to grow as a comprehensive learning, research and study center for faculty, staff and students, as well as for residents of Greater Hartford," said University of Saint Joseph President Pamela Trotman Reid, Ph.D.
Originally built in 1960, the Library was last updated in 1991 when renovations to the main reference room were completed.
"The scope of our current renovations will encompass improved individual and group study experiences; infrastructure updates including the installation of a new elevator; and a redesigned lobby to greet visitors and streamline circulation services," said Linda Geffner, M.L.S., associate professor and library director.
"Thanks to the generous support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, these enhancements will promote collaborative study and offer an extensive array of technology and academic services. Our goal is to welcome the Greater Hartford community to the diverse resources available, which includes increasing the number of computers available for use by the public," said Geffner.
A highlight of the renovations will be the relocation of the University's Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) to the Library's second floor. This will allow for a more effective relationship between the CAE and the Library's reference services and materials, as well as provide increased space for a new program to improve the college readiness of local high school students.
According to Tami Devine Fagan '97, M.A., Sixth Year, director of the CAE, "Beginning in spring of 2013, up to 15 local high school students will attend a three-part workshop at USJ's new state-of-the-art CAE, where they will be offered coaching focused on enhanced college-readiness skills in the areas of writing and critical thinking, resulting in a polished piece of writing showcasing their work, which may be used as part of their college admissions/application package. Throughout the process, CAE professionals and high school faculty will engage in an ongoing, collegial dialogue on the meaning and essence of 'college level writing.' At the culmination of the program, teachers, students and their families will be invited to USJ for an event featuring the students' writing and celebrating their accomplishments." Additional workshops will be provided in subsequent semesters.