Summer 2026 Renovation | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Exciting changes are coming this summer to the Gordon Library's main entrance floor! Work will begin in mid-May and full occupancy of the renovated space is expected in Fall, 2026.

The renovation will bring about long-awaited and highly desired enhancements to the library experience for students and the entire WPI community, including:

An expanded Library Café offering more than 40 seats and full food service, featuring smoothies, sandwiches, coffee and more, along with upgraded vending options outside of café hours.
More natural lighting in a beautifully renovated reading area.
Two updated Tech Suites, and three updated Phone Booths for individual use.
A private nursing room.
WPI's first dedicated art studio classroom, with capacity for 24 students.
Art displays throughout the floor.
Modern, warmer, energy-efficient lighting, including dimmable surface-mounted lamps for additional lighting control.

Preview — *Artist's rendering of expanded and relocated Library Cafe*

rendering of new expanded Library Cafe, reopening in September 2026 — *Artist's rendering of expanded and relocated Library Cafe*

The renovation will bring several changes to the location of valued service points, with some temporary relocations during the summer construction period:

Access Services / Library Information Desk: temporarily located on lower (first) floor beginning late May through late September, when they will return to the main (entrance) level.
Research & Instruction Librarians: this team will be temporarily located on the lower (first) floor in the Shuster Lab beginning late May. They will permanently relocate to the upper (third) floor later in the summer.
Technology for Teaching and Learning (TTL): this team of ATC specialists will permanently relocate during the summer to Room 302 on the upper (third) floor.
IT Service Desk: temporarily located on the lower (first) floor in the Anderson Lab and adjacent Multimedia Lab beginning late May through late September, when they will return to the main (entrance) level.
Cafe and Vending will not be available in the Library this summer until the renovation is completed.
Printers, Scanners, and Public Computers will be temporarily relocated to the lower (first) floor beginning late May through late September, when they will return to the main (entrance) level.

Rendering of new Inormation Services Desk — *Artist's rendering of redesigned Library Information Service Desk, with view to the right of new Art Studio classroom*

Campus Facilities will manage and share information about any impacts on building or road access throughout the project. A 1-2-week period of building closure is anticipated in June, during which virtual Library and Technology services will remain available.

Artists' rendering of Art Studio classroom — *Artist's rendering of new 24-seat Art Studio classroom*

Planning the renovation has been a thoughtful collaboration between Facilities, the Gordon Library, Information Technology, Student Affairs, and Humanities and Arts, led by Nick Palumbo in partnership with a team of designers from Shepley Bulfinch and Consigli Construction. The plan was developed in response to clear and consistent input from WPI students gathered each year through annual library surveys and also in well-attended open student input sessions last fall.

This renovation is a generous and welcome investment by our university in place-making: the power of beautiful, functional, and shared place to build community connections, bring all of our vibrant disciplines and arts into rich contact with each other, and provide a well-managed open space where everyone belongs and is empowered to learn, imagine, reflect, and create together.

We welcome your comments, questions, and thoughts as we undertake this exciting transformation of your library with you! Please watch this space and campus announcements for updates and contact us any time at library@wpi.edu.