A library is not typically something that attracts your eyes. But the newly renovated St. Christopher’s Memorial library is different. Through the generous donations from the classes of 2025, 2000 and 1975, the budget has an impressive total of $1.3 million. 

 

Meticulously designed in tandem with third-party companies, the library’s interior has the vibe of a college study. “Every step of it (the design process) was very intentional,” stressed Mr. Jake Westermann. He hopes for the library to be a space in which “a boy can sit next to a warm fire, with a good book, and uncover an interest he didn’t know he had.” 

 

The redesigned library will come with a new culture and expectations for the space. “First and foremost, it needs to be a quiet space, an academic space,” said Mr. Mason Lecky, while some may hear this and worry their hangout space is being lost, Mr. Lecky still noted the importance of having a group space. “We want it to be a space where boys can just be together, hang out and relax, just as they’ve done in the past.” In a somewhat contradictory tone, Mr. Westermann outlined his aspirations for the space: “We want kids outside; the loud library, the game room downstairs in the LLC, the senior porch, [these are] other parts of campus where I’d rather see people who want to saddle up and play Minecraft or Clash of Clans.” This dedication to academics in the new library is on display in the Silent Section. Able to hold more students and filled with soft seating like couches and cushioned benches, the Silent Section will be even more comfortable and accommodating for any student in search of a quiet workspace. 

 

The renovation also introduces a new classroom. As Mr. Lecky put it, “We are also gaining a terrific, new, large classroom space that’s going to have a DTEN monitor… it will also hold about 20 to 25 students.” Finally, the previous group study room will be shrunk in size. However, it will still be available to those in need of a space to conduct college interviews, work on group projects, or record speaking sections for world language classes, and the scanners, printers and usual supplies that the library has offered in the past will still be available to everyone.

 

Regardless of your previous relationship with the past library, I encourage you to try out the new one. We are in an extremely privileged position where our classes get to be the first to experience a 1.3 million dollar project; not using it would be a disservice to the donors, the contractors, designers and everyone else who worked so hard to bring this vision to life.