Curl up with a book by the fire next fall at new library spot

A 3,000-square-foot reading room in the Daley Library will provide a quiet study space for students on the first floor.

By late fall, students will be able to gather around a fireplace to read in quiet in the Daley Library — and they can thank each other for that.

Renovation is scheduled to begin this week on a 3,000-square-foot reading room behind the reserve desk in the northeast quadrant of the first floor. The work is funded by the UIC Student Challenge, a fund-raising campaign where UIC students match each gift dollar for dollar.

The newly named Circle Reading Room will be primarily a quiet reading area, since the IDEA Commons and upper floors offer plenty of space for collaboration and computer work.  It may occasionally host alumni gatherings or library events such as authors’ lectures.

“There is fairly good use of the room as it is now, but that’s just because there are so many students in the building,” said Linda Naru, assistant university librarian.  “The new room will be a better place to study.”

The old space is hidden behind the reserve desk, which will be reoriented to allow a clear sightline from the library entrance to the doors of the renovated room.

About six comfortable chairs will be situated around the fireplace, with about 40 seats at work tables.

The current reading room is hidden behind the reserve desk.

The Silver Circle Teaching Award plaques will be on permanent display, as well as artifacts, drawings and publications that recall UIC’s days as Circle Campus, from its 1967 origins to the merger with the medical center campus in 1982.

“We made a good connection between Circle alums and today’s students and the challenges that they share, especially finding a quiet place on campus to study,” Naru said.

During construction, the reserve/media section will be located on the second floor near the escalator.