After endless days of loud construction and detours from the entrance of Gumberg Library, the fourth floor is finally complete. Opened last week, the redesign has been met with both criticism and praise. We believe that while the renovation was needed, the project made the fourth floor lose some of its character and authenticity.

For starters, the lighting makes the floor feel too corporate. The fluorescent lights almost create a distraction from how bright they are. It feels less like a library, and more like an office building.

In addition to the lights, the new seating arrangements make Gumberg feel like a spaceship. The seating looks uncomfortable and is a little too cold.

Though these changes seem bland, we also believe that the environment has some advantages, too. The openness of the redesign makes the library feel more spacious, where it used to feel cluttered.

We can’t deny that there are more seating areas up for grabs, even if they don’t look so inviting. As seasoned Duquesne veterans know, study spaces often fill up in the blink of an eye during midterms and finals week. It’s good that the renovations added some more options. 

The overall look is more modern and polished; for some of us, scene and setting are important for us to study – which the new fourth floor has. While some of the seating options seem to be more aesthetic choices than comfort ones, other areas look more comfortable than we thought and we might just find ourselves resorting there during times of study emergencies.

The emphasis on the Curriculum Center, which used to be on the fourth floor, has been subject to discussion as well. Though we aren’t completely sold on the open working areas, we agree that the student classroom has certainly received a refreshing upgrade.

Once nestled away in a corner on the fifth floor, the updated student classroom– which doubles as a children’s library – is a time capsule for nostalgia. The renovated classroom is for more than just the School of Education, too: Any student who works with children for their majors are encouraged to use resources from the classroom.

A new perk added to the library is its grab-and-go stations, located on the inside of the Art Gallery. What once meant a walk to the Union for snacks after awkwardly asking a stranger to watch our bags is now a brief, 30 second walk toward the library entrance.

Overall, we recommend checking out the new improvements to Gumberg’s main floor – just don’t be surprised if the new additions fall short of expectation.