For close to 25 years the Kathryn A. Martin Library has been a valuable resource to all UMD students. Both students and faculty use the library for the books, databases, technology and services that it provides. There is also one vital part of the library which people frequently use that is not as obvious and that is the physical space itself. 

The library has four floors with plenty of open space for studying with chairs, tables, desks, stools and other furniture along with bookable study rooms as well. People use this space to study, read, write and collaborate in a comfortable and quiet environment. However, most of the furniture and carpeting in the library is as old as the building itself. The Kathryn A. Martin Library has received some updates to the building and furniture in previous years, but most of it has gone unchanged.

This is something that the library, including its director Matthew Rosendahl, is looking to change as they move forward with a plan to refresh the library. This facilities refresh project came from the fact that several parts of the library, mostly the carpets and tables, have been showing their age after around 25 years of use. There will be a new carpet design for the first floor and a new carpet design for the third and fourth floor, along with new insert rugs in the lounge areas of the third and fourth floor. The reason as to why there is no new carpet for the second floor is because the floor has the newest carpeting in the building. 

One of the problems of this refresh is that it would be incredibly difficult to replace all of the tables in the first floor reading room area, as there are cables in the tables that connect into the floor that allow for charging. Instead, the library is replacing the tops of the tables, as they are the parts that have sustained the most damage. The new table tops will be added to the base of the tables already in the library. This also showcases this project’s goals in sustainability, as instead of throwing out the tables, the tops are going to be going to a place where the wood can be repurposed and reused.

One of the big parts of the facilities refresh project is feedback from students. Over the years, the Kathryn A. Martin Library has put out surveys for the students to give their thoughts on certain parts of the library. These surveys have covered topics such as the library’s collections, its services, and the library facilities. 

When going forward with the project, the library wanted to make sure student feedback was an important part of the decision making. While there was a lot of feedback that was taken into consideration by the library, one of the most common thoughts was that there should be more soft seating in the library. Currently, in most floors of the library the seating consists of hard seating, while a lot of students find soft seating to be more comfortable and a better choice of furniture. 

Based on the most recent survey, it can be seen that the library has taken this feedback into consideration, as they have picked multiple different options for new kinds of seating that students can choose from. Alongside the soft seating that students could pick from, there were also multiple options for the new carpets and insert rugs that will be installed.

 Multiple different seating types were displayed in the first floor of the library so students could see what the new furniture would look like before making their decision. The chair selections included multiple different options for armchairs, armless chairs, chairs with soft backs, and chairs with hard backs. Once the decisions are finalized, the chosen chair styles will eventually be added to the lounge and study areas around the library. 

Each floor of the Kathryn A. Martin Library will see changes with the facilities refresh project. Starting with the first floor, the carpets, table tops will be completely replaced, and some of the chairs and sofas will be replaced as well. Another large change to the first floor will be the relocation of the computers and printers that are currently in the middle of the floor. They will be moved to a former media hub area to the right of the library services desk. This space will now have better mobility options for those using the computers and printers.

The second floor will see the least amount of changes from the project, as it is the part of the library that has received the most recent changes and designs. Both the third and fourth floor will be receiving similar changes, with new soft seating options and lounge spaces. These changes will include new chairs, ottomans, couches, stools, tables and more to give these floors a lounge-like environment. Another addition to these lounge areas will be the new carpeting and insert rugs. Part of the fourth floor that overlooks the lake will become the lakeview lounge, a soft seating area where people can sit and enjoy the great view the library provides. 

Right now, the project is still in the planning stage, with feedback being taken from the most recent survey. The library is hopeful that the physical refresh will start in the summer of 2025. Soon enough, the carpet will begin to be replaced and we will see new seating and furniture make its way into the library. 

With this refresh, the library continues to push forward and keep things fresh for the students, faculty, and everyone that uses its services and facilities. Even after almost 25 years, the Kathryn A. Martin Library continues to listen to students and make improvements for the benefit of everyone.