Light, Spacious and Bustling: Take a Look Inside a Refreshed Kennedy Library
After a two-year closure, the refreshed Robert E. Kennedy Library — the largest library between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz — has reopened its doors and assumed its rightful spot as a hub of campus life.
The space reopened in September 2025 after its first major remodel since it originally debuted in January of 1981. The $78-million renovation improved accessibility, added classroom space, upgraded heating and cooling systems and expanded the on-site cafe — all while saving energy.
The reimagined first floor holds two exhibit spaces for art and historical artifacts from Kennedy Library’s Special Collections and Archives, the expanded Julian’s Café and a redesigned courtyard. Hub24, the university’s 24-hour study space, grew to include the library’s first and second floors when the facility reopened.
At the main entrance, visitors are greeted by a vibrant work of art. The acrylic mural, titled “Grounds for Growth,” is the creation of artists Joshua Lawyer and MJ Lindo-Lawyer, known as Rough Edge Collective.
“We want students to be excited, welcome and comfortable in the library, knowing that it is a space that reflects them as individuals, as well as the part they play in our collective community,” said Suzie Smith, curator for Kennedy Library.
Students also have access to the Digital Scholarship Studio, which includes a research help desk, a place to consult with peers on data science projects, group study space and computer workstations.
One of the key upgrades is the library’s redesigned staircase that freed up more square footage on several floors. The change created space for two seminar-style classrooms. Upper floors are now home to books and reference materials in the library’s main collection of more than 5 million items, a meditation room, all-gender restrooms and a host of programs, like the International Center.
Behind the scenes, improved insulation and upgraded systems, including heating and cooling, has reduced the building’s energy usage by 30%.
Interim Dean of Library Services Katherine O’Clair said the transformation has had an immediate and lasting effect on students.
“These changes give our students a more welcoming, flexible and inspiring environment to study, collaborate and create,” O’Clair said. “The renovated library is a place where the entire campus community can come together to learn, connect and thrive.”
The Kennedy Library renovation represents the successful completion of the university’s first major project delivered using collaborative design-build — an innovative approach that kept the ambitious project on-time and on-budget.
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