NEWPORT NEWS — Christopher Newport University opened the newly renovated Trible Library for its students last week.
The university decided to expand the library after students said they wanted 24/7 access to the building and more space to study.
The Trible library, which is located in the center of campus, has undergone four expansion ‘phases’ since 1968. The most recent expansion, Phase IV, started in 2016 and took two years to complete, said CNU spokesman Tom Kramer.
The library expansion cost $43.4 million and was financed by the state, which means the university and its student body didn’t have to pay for it. Nothing was removed from the library and it remained open during construction.
The project was finished “on-time” and “on-budget,” Kramer said.
New additions to the library include 800 seats, a 100-seat theater and a two-story reading room.
“It’s just beautiful,” Kramer said in regards to the reading room.
The renovated building also has two classrooms with new technology, including one of the new center for the digital humanities minor, and a collections center, where students can access millions of records such as periodicals, books, magazines and journals.
The library is now open 24/7.
The official celebration of the Trible Library will be on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. The public event will have fireworks, an official ribbon cutting and a public tour of the renovated portion in the library. Gov. Ralph Northam will also be in attendance.
For information, visit CNU’s website or call 757-594-7000. You can also follow the university on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
