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The New Neilson Library

Nighttime rendering of Neilson Library from Green Street

A Destination College Deserves a Destination Library

Since it opened in 1909, Neilson Library has been the academic heart of Smith College. We have now embarked on Neilson’s next phase—a comprehensive renovation that will transform our library into a technology-infused hub filled with active learning areas, the right balance of print and digital resources, and flexible spaces that support the entrepreneurial spirit of our students.

The renovation will feature two new wings, dubbed “jewel boxes” by Maya Lin. The new south wing will bring together special collections—the Sophia Smith Collection, Rare Books and College Archives—creating one-stop access to these important, rich materials and the staff who study and care for them. The new north wing will be filled with spaces to support active learning and scholarship, entrepreneurship and innovation. It will also include a cafe and digital media hub that will bring the community together. Altogether the project will focus on natural light, an energy-efficient design, cutting-edge technology and flexible, collaborative work spaces.

Our vision is bold. We must be ambitious in order to meet the needs and expectations of students and scholars today and into the future.

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Kathleen McCartney portrait

“When Neilson reopens in 2020, it will reflect the good ideas of our entire community. It will be responsive and nimble to new ways of teaching, learning and connecting. It will be a library that celebrates what Smith does best—educate women for leadership.”

—Kathleen McCartney, President

Why I Give

“This is a proud moment for Smith and an incredible opportunity for all of us as a community to put our support behind a project that will transform the campus in profound ways, showcasing once again how Smith is committed to providing a one-of-a-kind educational experience for women. I only wish I could start my own four years over again once the new library is completed!”
—Madeleine Fackler ’80, trustee and co-chair, President’s Library Roundtable (shown below at right)

Groundbreaking for the new Neilson Library
Ground was officially broken for the new Neilson Library Thursday, October 19, 2017. Left to right: Susan Fliss, dean of libraries; Deborah L. Duncan ’77, chair of the Board of Trustees; Maya Lin, architectural designer; Kathleen McCartney, president; Katherine Rowe, provost and dean of the faculty; and Madeleine Fackler ’80, trustee and co-chair of the President’s Library Roundtable.

“Maya Lin’s vision for the old Carnegie-funded library is magnificent. Her plan to use light and glass and elements of nature brings drama and 21st-century imagination to the project. Reading nooks that can be reconfigured for solitary study or collaborative work and special spaces for meeting with friends or perusing a book on one’s own will make the new Neilson more user friendly in the manner students want and expect today. But most of all the new Neilson will be a destination for students, faculty, alumnae and the community because of its extraordinary architecture and landscape. Brava the reimagining of Neilson Library!”
—Lile Rasmuson Gibbons ’64, co-chair, President’s Library Roundtable

“As a loyal supporter of Smith for over 60 years and a lover of libraries, it gives my family great joy to invest in Smith’s future—the reimagining of Neilson Library.”
—Pat Klingenstein ’51

Philanthropic Support

Transforming a century-old library into a modern, multifunctional teaching and learning center requires great vision, ambition and philanthropic support.

The $100 million renovation of Neilson presents an exciting, once-in-a-generation opportunity for alumnae, parents and friends of Smith to partner with the college.

Giving Opportunities

  • Gifts of $250,000 or more will be recognized with an individual naming opportunity
  • Gifts of $100,000 or more will be included in a community recognition display
  • Gifts can also be directed through the Smith Fund: Resourceful Smith designation

Learn More

For opportunities to support the library, contact:

Betsy Carpenter ’93
Director of Development
413-585-2052
ewcarpen@smith.edu

Resources

For more information and updates on the project, visit the libraries’ website.

The New Neilson: Exterior

In designing the new Neilson, architectural designer Maya Lin envisioned a “glowing central hub that revitalizes the center of the campus.” Steel, wood, stone and glass mix to make a bold statement about the environment, sustainability and the beauty of the Smith campus.

West elevation, Burton lawn and amphitheater

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West elevation, Burton lawn and amphitheater: At the building’s core is the original 1909 structure, anchoring Neilson’s place in our community and respectfully paying homage to the long history of learning that has taken place inside its walls.

East elevation from Seelye lawn

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East elevation, Seelye lawn: Rising from both the north and south sides of the building, two softly curved “jewel boxes” underscore Neilson’s status as the intellectual heart of the campus, beckoning visitors to explore Smith’s renowned special collections, rich archives of women’s history, rows upon rows of books and a new café and digital media hub.

South elevation, view from Green Street

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South elevation, view from Green Street: Neilson’s Special Collections are among the most significant college research repositories in the country and represent one of the highest caliber teaching, learning and experiential learning environments at the college. They will now be housed in the south jewel box wing in one visible and accessible location and will incorporate modern technologies such as augmented reality to help users gain insights into the past.

Rendering of the courtyard and amphitheater

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Sunken courtyard and north jewel box: The grounds around the library will be opened up, linking the college’s science quadrangle with center campus and restoring integrity to Frederick Law Olmsted’s original campus plan. An outdoor courtyard garden will allow daylight to stream into the library’s lower level.

Rendering of the roof site plan

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Site plan: On the rooftop, patrons will enjoy a new “skyline room” and outdoor patio, providing yet another space to study and take in the surrounding environment.

The New Neilson: Interior

Inside Neilson, visitors will feel the surge of intellectual excitement, curiosity and creativity that occurs when a community of scholars converges in the pursuit of knowledge.

Rendering of the main hall of Neilson Library

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Main hall, level 2: One of the building’s most distinctive design details will be an ocular sunscoop—a round skylight in the library’s central atrium that will be surrounded by a reflective, curved wall that captures and then magnifies outside light. Maya Lin describes it as a “contemporary sundial at the library’s historic core.”

Rendering of a study room in the north wing

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North jewel box level 3, study and research: In the north wing, library patrons will find study spaces as well as more social spaces—an intellectual commons filled with general collections, rooms that can easily be transformed to accommodate group activities, a café and a digital hub that will connect scholars from around the world to the library’s resources.

Rendering of the study spaces surrounding the sunken courtyard

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Sunken Courtyard: Light-filled study spaces will surround the north wing’s sunken courtyard.

Rendering of a reading room in the south wing

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South jewel box level 3, Special Collections reading room: Within the south wing, the Smith College Archives, the Sophia Smith Collection and Mortimer Rare Books will unite to create a one-stop shop of scholarly material accessible to the community and curated by knowledgeable staff on hand to share their expertise.

Rendering of the rooftop skyline reading room

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Skyline Reading Room: A glass-walled rooftop reading room and adjoining outdoor patio will open up spectacular vistas of the surrounding valley and hills and is designed to function as a reflective study space by day and an active multipurpose events space by night.

Rendering of the academic commons

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Academic success commons, level 2: Book stacks will surround many of the exterior walls of the building. Compact and underground book storage will also be well utilized.

Rendering of the first floor site plan

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First floor site plan: Throughout the building, soft hues, large walls of glass and swaths of natural light will bring the outdoors in, creating a soothing atmosphere in which to reflect, study, explore and enjoy time with classmates and friends.