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Odegaard Undergraduate Library Renovation 2011-2013

For Immediate Release - September 28, 2011

University Libraries and Office of Planning & Budgeting announce
Odegaard Undergraduate Library Renovation, Phase I: 2012 - 2013  OUGL students first floor

The University Libraries and the University of Washington Office of Planning and Budget announce the upcoming renovation of a portion of the Odegaard Undergraduate Library to upgrade the physical spaces to respond to changing student needs. The project, referred to as “Odegaard Undergraduate Learning Center [OULC] Phase I” is scheduled to begin June 2012 with anticipated completion the beginning of Autumn Quarter 2013. The source of funds is an appropriation of $16,575,000 in the 2011-13 State Capital Budget. Odegaard Undergraduate Library has served the students of the University of Washington as a critical academic facility since it was first constructed in 1972. Almost forty years later, it remains the most utilized student study and research space on campus with more than 10,000 students per day passing through its doors. Renovation of Odegaard will significantly increase active learning spaces and study area utilization in one of the UW‘s most important student learning facilities. This first phase of a multi-phase renovation project which will take place over several years will begin the process of providing a more operationally efficient, one-stop learning environment that supports formal and informal learning, while incorporating new innovative classrooms. It also will provide flexible and dedicated areas for undergraduate teaching and discovery, while renewing an important existing facility in the heart of the UW undergraduate education environment.

The Miller Hull Partnership is the project architect. They will work with the campus to gather student and faculty input through mid-October, and will present their initial design concepts and scopes of work in mid-December to the University of Washington Architectural Commission. After further development of the building design, construction will begin in June 2012. Mortenson Construction is the General Contractor / Construction Manager (GC/CM) for the project. Lizabeth (Betsy) Wilson, dean of University Libraries, noted, “I hope students are as excited as we are about making this a space that revolves around what the students want it to be – a flexible space that allows the technology-savvy and technology-equipped students of the University of Washington to do their best research, studying and collaboration.”

For more information and regular updates, visit http://blogs.uw.edu/ouglreno/

Contacts:
Jill McKinstry
Director of Odegaard Undergraduate Library
jillmck@uw.edu
(206) 685-3933

Rebecca Barnes
University Architect, Office of Planning & Budget
Chair, Odegaard Phase I Working Group
rgbarnes@uw.edu
206 543-4382