Coastal Carolina University received approval from the state of South Carolina to build a $ 29.8 million Learning Library Complex.
The complex will be built on the Conway, SC campus, adjacent to the Kimbel Library, which will undergo its own $ 10 million renovation.
The provisional completion date for the Library Complex is in the fall of 2023, and Kimbel’s renovations will begin from then on with a completion date scheduled for the end of 2024.
The two-story, 64,000-square-foot Learning Library Complex will integrate student spaces and services with cutting-edge immersion technologies.
The first floor will feature a large makerpace, a virtual reality laboratory, data visualization and individual studios for video / audio production. It will also have a large study area open for collaboration and socialization.
The second floor will house areas such as academic tutoring and computer services for students. Other group study rooms will be located throughout the building.
“When the Kimbel Library opened in 1977, it was designed to serve 1,400 students,” says Daniel Ennis, the university’s dean and vice president for academic affairs. “Even with subsequent expansions and renovations, it was never intended to serve more than 10,000 students. The new Learning Library Complex will immediately become one of the state’s best academic libraries and provide students with access to study spaces, enhanced academic support , and state-of-the-art learning technologies.
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