2008 AWARD RECIPIENT

 

Renovation of The Ohio State University Thompson Library

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Women & Philanthropy members awarded $40,680 to the renovation of the William Oxley Thompson Library, a three-year project to restore the historic facility and create a state-of-the-art resource for study and research for the entire university.

Located at the western end of the Oval, the Thompson Library has been university hallmark since it was originally built in 1912. Its Italian Renaissance Revival style featured entry halls of marble and terrazzo with marble wainscoting, ornamental cornices and a grand staircase. As grand as the original building was, however, it soon reached the limits of its capacity to serve the growing university, and much of its beauty and historic qualities were obscured by expansions in 1966 and again in 1977.

 

Construction to restore its grandeur, including original woodwork and plaster features, began in January 2007 and is scheduled for completion in summer 2009. In addition to providing students and faculty access to substantial print collections and the latest in digital resources, the new library will feature a restored Grand Reading Room, areas for interactive group learning and collaboration, and a seating capacity three times what it was. Distinguished rare books and special collections, previously scattered among facilities across campus, will be brought together and made available for exhibition and research.

 

“Women & Philanthropy’s support of the Thompson Library renovation provided critical funding to this landmark project,” says Joe Branin, director of Ohio State Libraries. “We are so grateful for their generous gift. The new library will serve our students, faculty and staff well into the next century, and Women & Philanthropy’s support will be a permanent part of the Library’s great history.”

 

The William Oxley Thompson Library

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