Discovery—it is what higher education is all about. Discovering new ideas, new hobbies and new people. This is the inspiration for Discovery Hall, the newest addition to the library, which connects to a refreshed and renovated Randall Hall.
“Our goal has been to make the UNCW Library the intellectual heart of the campus, providing a welcoming environment for students to both study and socialize. We are pleased to see students making that goal a reality as they happily engage with the spaces, our staff and each other throughout the library,” said Lucy Holman, associate provost for teaching, learning and library services, and dean of the library (see sidebar). “There is a distinct air of excitement as students explore the new spaces, finding their favorite spots. We are already seeing students become ‘regulars’ in certain locations.”
UNCW is a place where discovery happens and creativity follows, so it is no surprise that two Seahawks had a hand in designing the new spaces. Carleigh Sion ’12 and Seth Rogers ’17 played important roles in bringing the dream of the innovative spaces to fruition. Sion is a freelance artist, and Rogers is a project engineer at Balfour Beatty, the construction company overseeing the project.
Lovingly referred to as “the Lib” by Sion and her friends, the library played a pivotal role in Sion’s student success, serving as a reliable, mentally healthy space to concentrate and get work done. She said, “I was in there seven days a week if I could be.”
Sion was hired to paint a mural in The Lookout, a 30-seat lounge on the third floor of Discovery Hall.
“I loved being a small part of this amazing project. I am so stoked for today’s students to have this new, incredible environment.”
Carleigh Sion ’12
After graduating with a degree in English literature, working on the construction management team that would build the new addition to the library was not something Rogers expected. As a student, he met up with classmates on the first floor of Randall before his afternoon classes and during finals week. Admittedly, Rogers said he could have spent a little more time studying as a self-proclaimed procrastinator. However, he spent his fair share of late nights and early mornings tucked between the book stacks on the second floor to get his work done.
“One of the best parts about the project is that the original library is pretty much exactly as I remember it when I went to school,” said Rogers.
“We were able to add many fun and exciting new library features in the Discovery wing without demolishing or significantly altering anything in the Randall wing—truly the best of both worlds.”
Seth Rogers ’17
From the clearing of the site to the final coat of paint, Rogers remained on-site and active in the project. His hope of students making the most of the new spaces and features has already been realized, as he has witnessed every room filled with Seahawks deep in their studies or chatting over cups of coffee. Rogers said knowing he had a hand in creating these spaces students will enjoy for years to come fills him with immeasurable pride.
The library, officially renamed UNCW Library, is now comprised of two buildings—Discovery Hall and Randall Hall, which continues to honor the legacy of former Wilmington College President William Madison Randall (see sidebar).
Randall’s legacy lives on in Randall Hall, which has been renovated and now connects to the newly constructed Discovery Hall by The Link, a natural light-filled corridor lined with study tables and food and beverage options between the two buildings.
“The Randall Hall renovation focused on preserving the warm and welcoming atmosphere that all Seahawks know and love, while modernizing the building to create new opportunities for faculty and student collaboration,” said Holman. Randall Hall improvements include an emphasis on technology upgrades, 10 new group study rooms, an expanded graduate student area, a sensory friendly study space, a game room for digital and tabletop gaming, a secure data research room and more.
Discovery Hall is home to an events space with an adjacent exhibit area, an impressive data visualization and analysis lab, an enhanced and enlarged makerspace, a recording studio, a virtual reality space, and a new home for the collections of the Center for Southeast North Carolina Archives and History that includes a spacious research room.
“CSENCAH is an important resource for the campus community and beyond,” said Holman. “The special collections and archives preserve the unique stories, heritage and experiences of the local and regional populations. These collections provide invaluable resources for academic research, offering rich, primary sources that enhance our understanding of social history and cultural, economic and environmental changes in our region.”
Born with books in her blood, Lucy Holman comes from a long line of teachers, a bookstore employee and literature lovers. Staying the course but paving her own path, Holman pursued a degree in journalism. She wrote independently for newspapers before working for a pollster, traveling the country to gather data and share her statistical analyses. Looking for something new, Holman went back to school to get her master’s in counseling and worked in university student affairs for more than 10 years—including two years at UNCW in residence life.
Intrigued by a fascinating friend who worked as a university librarian, Holman asked her what being a librarian was like. “I love it because it completely changes every day, and libraries are constantly evolving,” said her friend. This led Holman to dip her toes into librarianship as a volunteer and then going back to school to obtain her degree in library science. After two decades working mostly in Baltimore, Holman returned to UNCW as the university librarian in 2018 and became associate provost for teaching, learning and library services and dean of the library in 2021.
“Once upon a time, libraries were a place where physical materials were stored, and the primary purpose of the library was a place to go to get access to those materials. With the internet, that has completely changed,” said Holman. “How have libraries evolved over the last 30 years? They have really evolved to be a place where people can gather, share ideas, learn together and create knowledge.”
Holman describes the library as the “third place” for people in the campus community and beyond. The first two places people have are their home and their work. The third place is where they can connect with community. This proves to be true as the campus library is typically filled with students in group study rooms, quiet areas, and even gathering on the floor. Keeping this at top of mind, Holman and her team wanted to make sure the library renovations were not only innovative and functional, but also maintained the welcoming atmosphere for all students, faculty, staff and members of the community.
“From the grand reading room and The Lookout to group study rooms and the graduate lounge, people are finding their space within the upgraded library, whatever that space looks like,” said Holman.
While the new and modern Discovery Hall is well utilized, Holman sees many students still returning to their comfort spaces in Randall Hall. Both buildings are home to destinations where students find comfort and function.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see it come to life and to see students using it,” said Holman. “Every space is being utilized, literally every piece of furniture is being used. It’s just really rewarding to see that we made good decisions. We planned for diversity of student needs, and those are being realized.”
Moving forward, Holman hopes the spaces continue to serve students for years to come. Specifically, she hopes to see more students take advantage of the specialized spaces like the Visualization and Analysis Lab and the recording studio. She reiterates the library and its resources are not just for the campus community. Holman hopes the improved library can help the university connect with the greater Wilmington community in new ways to foster meaningful connections and promote lifelong learning.
Here are a few recommendations from some of Holman’s favorite authors:
Support "the intellectual heart of campus"
Opened in 1969, Randall Library was named in honor of William Madison Randall (1899-1984). Randall, renowned in the field of library science, was dean of Wilmington College before assuming the role of president.
He coined the university’s motto, “Discere Aude,” a Latin phrase meaning “Dare to learn.”
This article has the following tags: myUNCW Academics Engagement
