The Charles E. Odegaard Undergraduate Library (OUGL) is a library on the campus of the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

. It houses secondary stacks, a learning commons and on-campus technology resources for students, primarily

undergraduates Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...

. Named after the 19th president of the university, it opened in 1972, replacing the small undergraduate library previously located at

Suzzallo Library Suzzallo Library is the central library of the University of Washington in Seattle, and perhaps the most recognizable building on campus. It is named for Henry Suzzallo, who was president of the University of Washington until he stepped down ...

..
Odegaard Library 40th anniversary
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University of Washington Libraries The University of Washington Libraries (UW Libraries) is the academic library system of the University of Washington, based in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves the Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell campuses of the University of Wash ...

. Retrieved on May 1, 2012. It fronts the northwest corner of

Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', p=ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ) is one of the oldest and largest town square, squares in Moscow, Russia. It is located in Moscow's historic centre, along the eastern walls of ...

and provides access to the parking garage below the plaza, which was built simultaneously with the library. In addition to library space, the building includes a cafeteria and newsstand on the ground floor. The Odegaard Undergraduate Library was renovated from June 18, 2012, to June 24, 2013. The library's renovation architects were awarded the 2014 American Institute of Architects' Institute Honor Awards for Interior Architecture.

Architecture

University of Washington - Odegaard interior 02

The library was originally designed by Kirk, Wallace, McKinley & Associates, led by Paul Kirk. It was one of three

Brutalist Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the b ...

-style buildings constructed as part of an expansion to the university's Central Plaza in the early 1970s, along with Kane Hall and

Meany Hall for the Performing Arts Meany Hall has been the name of two buildings on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Individual performance venues include the 1,206-seat proscenium Katharyn Alvord Gerlich Theater, and the 238-seat Meany Studio Theatre. Meany Hall hos ...

. As student population grew in the 1960s, the existing Suzzallo Library became insufficient to serve the needs of both graduate and undergraduate students, leading to the construction of the new undergraduate library. The building's main façade and entryway is located on the northwestern side of the campus's Central Plaza, also known as

. The building is relatively cube-shaped with a largely flat roof, and the exterior is dominated by red bricks, concrete, and large recessed windows. The main library space consists of three floors that surround a central

atrium Atrium may refer to: Anatomy * Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart * Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods * Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain * Pulmona ...

. They house the library collections, open study areas, computer workstations, and rooms for both individual and collaborative work. There is also a ground floor one story below the main entrance that contains a cafeteria and newsstand. Due to the slope of the surrounding ground, this floor is accessible directly from the west side of the building. The library was renovated in 1997 and again in 2012-2013. The 2012-2013 renovation was designed by the Miller Hull Partnership and focused mostly on the interior of the library space. The redesign created a more open feel to the central atrium by shrinking the central staircase and adding a

skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History O ...

. They also added new classrooms and technology studios, window booths for group work, and a glass enclosure on the third floor to allow for more quiet study.

References

External links

Odegaard Undergraduate Library & Learning Commons
*https://www.lib.washington.edu/ougl/renovation/odegaard-library-renovation {{Authority control University of Washington buildings Library buildings completed in 1972 University and college academic libraries in Washington (state) Libraries in Seattle 1972 establishments in Washington (state) University and college buildings completed in 1972