UC San Diego announced Monday that Audrey Geisel donated $3 million to fund renovations to the main campus library named for her and her husband, Ted "Dr. Seuss" Geisel.
The gift will fund improvements to interior public spaces at the 43-year-old library to meet the needs of students, faculty and other users in the digital age.
"This will ensure that Geisel Library, a campus and architectural landmark, continues to provide the outstanding services and spaces needed to support today's students and scholars, as well as members of the local community," UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said.
"Audrey has been one of the university's most generous and stalwart supporters, and with this gift, the Geisel legacy will continue to shape our future success as a world-class university," he said.
The gift launches the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative, which will fund renovations on the first, second and eighth floors of the 285,000- square-foot facility, which is visited by 1.5 million users annually.
The major renovation will include a reconfigured lobby entrance; a significant upgrade to the existing Learning Commons; a new Research Commons; a cafe and lounge; the implementation of new technologies; and significant enhancements to furniture, carpeting and finishes.
UCSD library officials said that as more collections are digitized, spaces no longer required to house books and journals are increasingly needed for collaborative learning and research.
"Our library facilities are being used now, more than ever, But, like many libraries across the nation, the library is being used in different ways than it has in the past," said Brian Schottlaender, the university librarian.
"Our hope is that this generous gift will lead to more support, so we can upgrade other public spaces in the building in the near future," he said.
UCSD officials said they plan to hire a designer this fall and begin construction in the spring.
