Michael Crumpton was appointed dean of University Libraries in January 2023. The former president of the North Carolina Library Association had been interim dean since February 2020. A staff member there for 15 years, he has been well-acquainted with Jackson Library’s needs for many years.
No major changes have come to Jackson Library since 1973, when the tower was added. Now, 50 years later, planning is underway for a major renovation.
After a Master Space Plan study in 2019, state funding of $81 million was awarded in November 2021.
“The phrase we’ve heard most often in assessing current conditions is ‘It’s beyond its useful life,’” he said. There are many needs, such as getting elevator, electrical, and HVAC systems as well as bathrooms and plumbing up to code. Plus, there is upgrading safety requirements like sprinkler systems as well as improving accessibility so everyone can access the library and its materials.
“The Advance Planning process, which includes information-gathering engagement sessions, has been going on since last spring,” he said. “It’ll wrap up later this semester with a final report that will inform how we move into the design stages.”
It’s too early to predict specific design changes. The library’s exterior will likely look largely the same with no funding for a proposed expansion, he said – but he anticipates one or two entrances will be added. In the coming months planning will proceed, with a focus on students’ needs.
The ways UNCG students access information and what they need in a library has greatly changed over the years, he explained. “It’s our mission to do the best we can for our students. That’s what this project’s guiding principles are all about: to make this building inspirational, safe, and useful for our students going forward.”
As Crumpton noted in a recent University Libraries newsletter, the Project Vision Statement and Guiding Principles that been developed include:
- Create an inclusive library environment that reflects the inspiring diversity of the UNCG community and fosters a sense of ownership and belonging.
- Leverage space and technology to foster innovation, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and empower students of all academic levels to reach their highest potential.
- Provide a collection of library partners that collaboratively establishes student success criteria and provides the tools for students to succeed.
- Develop an integrated services library model that establishes the Jackson Library as the heart of campus and serves as a retention/recruitment vehicle for students and faculty.
View a full listing of the project’s principles, as well as updates on the project’s progress, on this University Libraries web page.
View more information on the UNCG Facilities Design and Construction web page here.
By Mike Harris ’11 MA, Advancement Communications
Photography of Michael Crumpton by Sean Norona ’12