Students and campus community members may have noticed a big change in the Park Blocks. The fence around the library—erected after its occupation last spring—has come down.
In March, individuals protesting the war in Gaza entered and occupied the library before being forced out by Portland police. There was damage throughout the building, including broken equipment, shattered windows, spray paint on walls and books, and additional damage to the fire safety system.
The university assessed the damage—initially estimated to cost $750,000. The cost of repairs has since risen to $1.1 million. Work to reopen the library began almost immediately, with the first step being to secure the perimeter with a fence.
Losing access to the library was difficult for those who used it regularly. However, library staff quickly set up a pop-up library in Smith Memorial Student Union to offer the community limited library services. Still, students wondered how long the closure would last.
After the removal of the fence, students quickly began utilizing the steps of the library, sitting to chat and eat lunch. The fence removal coincided with hordes of new students arriving on campus for fall orientation.
“The timing of the fencing removal was not specifically tied to student orientation events,” Media Relations Manager Katy Swordfisk said. “But it does signal a big step forward to the community that PSU is getting ready for fall term and trying to make the campus feel as welcoming as possible for new and returning students alike.”
The PSU Director of Capital Projects & Construction Quinn Soifer claimed that there were practical reasons for the fence’s removal. “By removing the fence, it allowed easier access into and out of the building.”
“The removal of the fence just makes for an overall more welcoming building for the campus as a whole,” Soifer went on to say.
“The library team is happy to be one step closer to reopening,” the new Dean of the PSU Library Xan Arch said, “There is still significant work to be done inside and outside the building, but we are on track to open for the fall semester.”
The library is set to reopen to students and the public on Sept. 16, though that date is not yet official. In the meantime, faculty and staff can come and go as they prepare for its opening. Students can gather around its portico and on its steps to relax and converse.