GROVE CITY, Pa. (WKBN) – Work is officially underway on a $9 million renovation to Grove City College’s Henry Buhl Library.

About 75% of the nearly 70 year old building will undergo renovations, including the addition of group study and classroom space, a reading room, cafe, lounge and patio.

The library will also be updated with new technology and additional power sources. This is the first major renovation to the building since it opened in 1954.

The redesign aims at creating a contemporary study and workspace for their students.

“The library is the major information center on campus and we strive to support our students’ changing technology needs, study habits and academic expectations in the 21st century. The renovation will enable the library to improve upon providing the academic support necessary to help students succeed while giving them ample space to work together, to study and to be a community of scholars,” library director Barbra Munnell said.

The redesigned ground floor will house a large study space, reference room as well as the college’s writing center, academic resource center and registrar’s office.

Most of the ground-floor work and second floor stacks will be completed over the summer in time for student use in the fall. The second phase will begin in December and continue through the summer of 2022.

More than 1,500 shelves of books were relocated or condensed and more than 5,700 books and journals were stored off-site to allow for construction access.