On Sunday, February 21, the Viterbo University Student Government Association officially voted to go through with its biggest project yet: renovating the Todd Wehr Memorial Library. With COVID-19 shutting the school down in the spring of 2020, many university clubs were not able to use all their funding, meaning much of it went back to SGA. With these ample funds in mind, the group was able to agree on a $90,000 renovation project, planning to make the library more welcoming, modern, and technologically up–to–date.
The project was spearheaded by Ashley Bohn, a senior nursing major and the SGA’s vice president. After bringing the topic to the SGA, Bohn recruited Logan Jancsurak to help layout a plan for the project. Jancsurak, a sophomore theatre acting major, serves as the secretary of the SGA.
According to Jancsurak, he found the library to be falling short of its potential, claiming that the goal is to “make it a better environment to study and work in.” Jancsurak said that he and Bohn discussed their wants with the library staff and Viterbo’s Physical Plant to come to a consensus on what changes could be made, ultimately landing on a fresh coat of paint, a brand-new welcome center, and additional modern technology for study rooms. The plan also includes hiring a designer to match the renovations with Viterbo’s recent aesthetic changes to the Reinhart Center to give the university a cohesive look.
The library’s staff and SGA have made a list of goals to ensure the final product will appeal to all Viterbo students and faculty. SGA’s goals include modernizing the library to make it more inviting for students and creating a space where studying will be productive. The library staff is focused on balancing contemporary visions of SGA’s ideas with the traditions of the current library, as well as making sure the product aligns with the university’s core values.
The project has not yet begun due to other current projects of the Physical Plant, but it is projected to be completed in approximately one year. After this summer, students should expect to see gradual changes to one of our university’s most valuable resources.
