If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a three-dimensional object is worth a million words. 3D printing an object often provides unique and quick ways to present information. The main library at UVA completed major renovations from 2020 until 2023 which include removing a large center building that… here, let me show you with this 3D model instead.

This is what the library looked like before the renovation.

The outlined section was the original building, built in the 1930s.

The below outlined section was the “New Stacks” built in 1967. The original, or old stacks, was 5 stories. The new stacks was 10 stories. This led to very interesting stair cases (the submarine staircases) and gave the whole stacks a labyrinthine feel. One could easily get lost in the stacks. Originally, the old and new stacks were closed to the public. A library patron would request a book, then a staff member would retrieve the book from the shelf and send it to Memorial Hall using a conveyor belt system.

In the picture below, the outlined portion, the old and new stacks, was demolished.

Interestingly, the brick wall of the old stacks was retained and reused in the renovation. It can still be seen in the courtyards.

The renovation gutted the original U shaped portion of the building (Memorial hall and both wings) down to the concrete walls. The new portion of the building is continuous; it is 5 stories that match the original building, and include a cafe (so you don’t hear the blaring of the espresso machine in Memorial Hall anymore).

And with a new library, came a new name. Out with Alderman, and in with Edgar Shannon.

More articles about the renovation are available on the Library website.