Highlights

Some of the highlights of the last five years include:

February 19, 2009. Ribbon cutting and opening ceremonies. A large crowd gathered to listen to speeches by President Welty, Dean Peter McDonald, and a host of other dignitaries, including two CSU system trustees. Following the talks, the ribbon was cut and the public was welcomed by our library staff, who gave tours and displayed their new areas.

February 20, 2009. This was the first day that the new library was open. It was also opening day of the Fresno State baseball season – and we had won the College World Series the season before. To celebrate this conjunction of academics and athletics, Associate Dean Dave Tyckoson got to throw at the first pitch at the game.

February 22, 2009. Power went off on about one-half of the Fresno State campus. However, the added load of the new library was determined not to be the cause. That’s our story and we are sticking to it.

August 2009. The Learning Center moved into the lower level of the library, where they provide tutorial services to students in designated classes and majors. They were the first of many partners to join the library during the past five years.

Fall 2009. The library begins offering reference help to remote users through Text Messaging and via an 800 number. The 800 number was dropped two years later due to minimal use, but you can still text the library at 559-492-TEXT.

Fall 2009. Campus furloughs began, requiring all employees to take off 2 days per month without pay. This caused havoc with staffing and forced us to reduce library hours for the 2009/2010 academic year.

Fall 2009. The Library acquired its official Facebook page, formally entering the world of Social Media. We had a temporary test page previously, but the https://m.facebook.com/FresnoStateLibrary/ page remains with us today.

Fall 2009. The Ellipse and the Ellipse Balcony are named for Leon S. and Pete P. Peters respectively, whose family foundation made a significant donation to the Library to purchase material to support student success.

December 10, 2009. The library held its first Gaming Night during the dead days before final exams. This tradition has continued every Thursday before finals ever since.

January 2010. The Centennial Steinway piano is delivered to the library and is placed in the Ellipse. The piano was refurbished over the previous two years at the Steinway facility in New York. It is the only playable model of this piano currently in existence.

February 17, 2010. Two days before our first anniversary, the one millionth visitor came through our doors. Nursing student Amanda Tang was awarded a gift basket as the one millionth visitor, which was a record number of people to come into the library at that time. That record has been surpassed in every subsequent year.

February 25, 2010. The library celebrated its first birthday with a cake made in the shape of the library by three Culinary Arts students.

June 4, 2010. The Leo Politi Garden opens between the new building and the South Wing, east of the Solarium.

Summer 2010. Technology Innovations for Learning and Teaching (TILT) moves into the library, providing faculty with better access to the experts who can support their teaching.

October 16, 2010. Library staff participate in the Centennial Homecoming Parade by entering a Book Cart Drill Team. The team was a favorite with crowds all along the parade route.

November 12, 2010. Professor Andreas Werz performs the inaugural concert on the Centennial Steinway Piano.

April 2, 2011. The library begins reserving study rooms for Graduate Students. This will later lead to the construction of the Graduate Study Center on the second floor.

May 5, 2011. The Graduate Research Symposium is held in the library, providing graduate students from all departments an opportunity to present their research. This event has been held in the library every year since and is planned for May 1 of this year.

June 2011. The Woodward family donates funds for the renovation of the Special Collection Reading Room, which is named in their honor.

Spring 2012. The library receives top honors in the American Institute of Architects San Joaquin Design Awards.

Fall 2012. Sculptor Jonathan Brilliant builds an enormous display made entirely of coffee stir-sticks and coffee cup lids, combining the Native American motif of the building with its most popular tenant, Starbucks.

September 14, 2013. The Valley Firsts exhibit opens, celebrating the inventions, events, and accomplishments of Valley residents. This is the first time that such an exhibit has ever been produced.