The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library is the newest

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vi ...

of the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, named after alumni

Joe Mansueto Joseph Daniel Mansueto (born September 3, 1956) is an American billionaire entrepreneur; the founder, majority owner and executive chairman of Morningstar, Inc. he is also the owner of Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire FC and of the Super Lea ...

and Rika Mansueto. The library has a capacity of 3.5 million volumes under an

elliptical dome An elliptical dome, or an ''oval dome'', is a dome whose bottom cross-section takes the form of an ellipse. Technically, an ''ellipsoidal dome'' has a circular cross-section, so is not quite the same. While the cupola can take different geometr ...

. It was designed by

Helmut Jahn Helmut Jahn (January 4, 1940 – May 8, 2021) was a German-American architect, known for projects such as the Sony Center on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany; the Messeturm in Frankfurt, Germany; the Thompson Center in Chicago; One Liber ...

History and Construction

Mansueto Library, designed by Chicago-based architect

, consists of a glass-domed reading room, above high-density closed bookstacks which can be accessed through an automated storage and retrieval system. The physical retrieval is carried out by multiple robotic cranes, averaging about 3 minutes per retrieval. Mansueto allows the university to maintain the vast majority of its library holdings on campus in a centrally located facility, while creating space to accommodate new acquisitions for approximately 20 years. Planning for the library grew out of studies beginning in 2003, by a faculty task force because other campus libraries, primarily the

Regenstein Library The Joseph Regenstein Library, commonly known as "The Reg" is the main library of the University of Chicago, named after industrialist and philanthropist Joseph Regenstein. It is one of the largest repositories of books in the world and is noted ...

, were running out of space for new books. In 2005, the board of trustees approved building a high-density storage facility next to the Regenstein building. The choice of Helmut Jahn was made in February 2006. Construction began in 2008, and the building was dedicated in late 2011.

Reception

Mansueto Library became the recipient of several architectural accolades in the years following its dedication. Among these was a Distinguished Building Award from the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to s ...

Chicago Chapter in 2011. The library also earned second place in the First Baku International Architectural Competition and was a finalist for the Chicago Building Congress New Construction award and the libraries category of the Architizer A+ Awards. Beyond the original purpose of aiding in research endeavors, Mansueto has earned a place in the collegiate community of The University of Chicago through the attention it has drawn from those within the university and beyond. In 2013, the makers of

Divergent (film) ''Divergent'' is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction action film directed by Neil Burger, based on the 2011 novel of the same name by Veronica Roth. The film is the first installment in '' The Divergent Series'' and was produced by Lucy ...

, interested by the unique, glass design of the library, used Mansueto in a scene of the futuristic dystopian film, allowing select undergraduates to take part in the process. The library has also been a part of a handful of items within the

University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt (or Scav Hunt, colloquially Scav) is an annual four-day team-based scavenger hunt held at the University of Chicago from Thursday to Sunday of Mother's Day weekend in May. The list of items, usually over 30 ...

, better known amongst the faculty and students as Scav. These aspects of Mansueto have made it one of the staples of the many tours the university gives to its prospective students, establishing the library as a common representative of the university.

Figures

Figures on the construction of the library: *Height of the dome at the highest point: 35 feet *Length: 240 feet *Width: 120 feet *Storage capacity: 3.5 million volumes *North American libraries with larger automated storage and retrieval systems: 0 *Typical book retrieval time: 5 minutes

References

External links

{{Authority control Library buildings completed in 2011 Helmut Jahn buildings University of Chicago Library Libraries in Chicago