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Snell Library Renovation

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An architect's rendering of the renovated Snell Library. It shows the front of the building with the wall removed so you can see in.

We are thrilled to announce the renovation of Snell Library on the Boston campus, a top-to-bottom redesign that will provide:

Improved study space, including:

  • a major increase in seating to accommodate both quiet and group study
  • bookable group study rooms on several floors
  • single-person pods for phone and video calls
  • new study space on the lower level
  • a larger, enhanced graduate study room
  • improved acoustic dampening throughout the building

Creative and collaborative opportunities, such as:

  • an expanded creative and design production zone on the 2nd floor
  • a research-focused area that brings together advanced digital scholarship projects from across the university
  • a new café and large event space open to the public on the 1st floor

Improved access to our collections and services, including:

  • more space to highlight our unique archives and special collections
  • on-site access to high-use books
  • easier access to library and information technology services

Compelling views, inside and out:

  • welcoming, light-filled areas with panoramas of the campus
  • a glass-enclosed central staircase showcasing newly opened areas of the library
  • a wrap-around glass façade on the 1st floor with new, larger entrances

 

Construction Updates

The Snell Library renovation will be taking place over the next several months. As such, building access and available services may be affected. Please check here regularly for updates.

Beginning July 17, 2023, work will take place on the main entrance and other areas of the first floor. At this time, a temporary entrance will be created on the west side of the building, through the Snell Library Classrooms entrance. In addition, the following services or departments have been affected:

  • Campus Coffee and Tea Café will be closed for the remainder of the work.
  • The Research Help Desk for drop-in reference assistance will be relocated to the main Help & Information Desk on the first floor.
  • The Archives & Special Collections Reading Room will be relocated to the second floor, next to the Digital Scholarship Commons.
  • The Hub of recreational reading material will be temporarily closed. However, all physical library books, including those featured in the Hub, remain available upon request.
  • CoLabs A-G will be unavailable.
  • The Writing Center will be unavailable. Visit their website for more information about available services and locations.

As of January 3, 2023, access to the 4th floor and basement of Snell Library is restricted. In addition, areas of the 3rd floor have also been blocked off as part of the work on the 4th floor. Students looking for study space can use the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd floors or visit the Northeastern University Spaces page to locate study space elsewhere on the Boston campus.

In addition, services previously available in the basement have been affected by the level’s closure. The Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections Reading Room is closed and physical collections are inaccessible. Reference services consulting digitized collections are available by emailing [email protected].

The International Tutoring Center, previously located in the Snell Library basement, has moved to the 2nd floor of Stearns Hall.