The Scarborough-Phillips Library will be unavailable and under construction for the entire 2012-2013 academic year.

Thanks to a $13 million donation made over the summer, St. Edward’s University will begin the renovation of the library around August 2012 and finish the project by August 2013.

“This is a terrific opportunity for St. Ed’s,” Library Director Pongracz Sennyey said. “It will pay off; it is worth the wait.”

The idea is to start packing the library up in May or June and to send everything to a warehouse during the construction. Since the university will close the library completely, most of the books will be inaccessible. However, the library plans to keep the most used books available somewhere on campus—depending on the space available—and add a substantial e-book collection to make-up for this inconvenience, according to Sennyey.

“We don’t know yet where we would be—somewhere on campus,” Sennyey said,

Sennyey is also looking for a place for him and his co-workers in the next academic year. Due to the construction, it is still unknown if St. Edward’s will be able to provide any type of library services or study places for students.

“Each individual is going to be responsible for themselves,” junior Celeste Morales said.

Sennyey hopes to find a place where the employers and employees at the library can offer their services to the students. Another issue is the employment for those currently working there.

Sennyey said that he cannot promise that this new library will offer more employment opportunities, that everyone will be re-hired for the 2013-2014 academic year or even if the jobs for the 2012-2013 will have to be put on hold. However, he said the new library will compensate for all these inconveniences.

“It will be a new level of service,” Sennyey said.

Once the construction is over, the library will include classrooms for student and faculty use, more computer labs, a technology center, the Writing Center and private rooms for discussion.

Sennyey said that the plan for the new library is to make it more technology-oriented, and to start making students and faculty used to the idea of replacing books for e-books.

“It is going to look like a modern building, a building of today,” said Bryan Irwin, the architect designing the new library.

Irwin has built more than 11 libraries in the past 10 years. He works for the Sasaki Association in Boston, and St. Edward’s has asked him to reconstruct the new library.

Irwin claims to have a great passion for libraries, and his idea for the Scarborough-Phillips Library is to connect the library with the beautiful landscape while still keeping the timeless quality that St. Edward’s buildings have.

“I try to uncover the vision the faculty and students have of the library,” Irwin said.

During Irwin’s visit to campus two weeks ago, he spent most of his time listening to faculty and students about what they want and expect from the library. According to Irwin, a library should not only be a place for textbooks but a place where you want to be, not where you have to be.

“It’s going to be a combination of books and technology,” Irwin said.

The plan is to create a library that has a book-rich and technology-rich environment. The new library will include spacious places inside, big windows to let in sunlight, places where students can feel inspired, and even courtyards and spaces outside the library to enjoy.

The final design of the library is still unclear; however, Irwin will be visiting St. Edward’s quite frequently to gather more information and create more guidelines for the construction.

“I’m extremely impressed with everyone at St. Edward’s—with their organization and in terms of accomplish[ing] this project,” Irwin said.

Irwin said the passion and inspiration that St. Edward’s faculty and students are showing for this project in conjunction with the ability to enjoy all the new services that the library will offer has motivated and encouraged everyone to accomplish this project as soon as possible

“It’s a great honor [to renovate the library],” Irwin said.