4th floor

Snell Library Reopens Renovated 4th Floor; 3rd Floor Closes

A major stage was completed in the Snell Library Renovation Project on Monday, Nov. 13, when the brand new fourth floor was opened for Northeastern University community use.

Students using the renovated 4th floor of Snell Library
Students study on the newly renovated 4th floor of Snell Library on Nov. 13, 2023.
Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Students study in the renovated 4th floor of Snell Library

The floor, which closed in January, now features a variety of study spaces and furniture styles to appeal to all types of users. It also includes:

  • reservable group and individual study rooms
  • a large glass-walled silent study space
  • individual soundproof pods for phone or video calls

Acoustic ceiling panels have been added to improve the noise levels and many pieces of furniture are embedded with outlets, both features that have been regularly requested by student users.

With the completion of the fourth floor, renovation work has now moved to the 3rd floor, which closed on Nov. 13. When it reopens, that floor will contain:

  • reservable group and individual study rooms
  • an enhanced graduate study room
  • a digital scholarship research hub
  • expanded research data consultation space
  • additional study space
A student sits behind a laptop wearing headphones on the newly renovated 4th floor of Snell Library

Work on the third floor is expected to be completed in summer 2024. In the meantime, staff offices previously located on that floor, including the Dean of the Library suite, have been moved to the second floor.

The next stage of the renovation project is expected to be completed in the coming days, as work is just finishing up on that lower (basement) level. Stay tuned here or visit the Snell Library Renovation page for the latest information.

A New Look for the 4th Floor

Have you been up to the 4th floor of Snell Library since the spring semester started? We’ve made some changes! Over the winter break, we refreshed all the furniture on the fourth floor, and some of the 3rd floor furniture as well. This is part of a continuing program of improvements to the library in response to changing user needs.

What’s Changed, and Why?

Much of the furniture previously on the 4th floor was in the building when it opened in 1990, and it showed. It was time to replace it with more modern furniture that can meet the needs of our current student body. For example, we’ve heard feedback from students that you wanted more standing-level workspaces, so you’ll see more of those on the 4th floor. A lot of the new furniture also has built-in power — none of the previous furniture had power. We’ve arranged the furniture to maximize access to power, although we’re still working on getting everything connected to the electricity. Snell Library sees more than 2 million visits a year — so, getting furniture that can withstand high usage as well as be cleaned or repaired easily was really important, too.

Zones for Quiet Study

Before this academic year, the 3rd floor was designated as a quiet study floor, and the 4th floor was a silent study floor. Last year, we freed up quite a bit of space in the building by moving some of our books to off-site storage and consolidating the remaining collection on the 3rd floor. As a result, the entire 4th floor is currently able to be used for study space. Even on the 3rd floor, there is more floor space now dedicated to seating.  The 3rd and 4th floors are now both considered quiet study floors, and the 4th floor is configured in zones that accommodate both quiet group study and silent individual study. So, there are places for study buddies to sit together, where it’s okay to whisper or talk quietly, as well as areas for you to work in solitude.

More Seats

When you come up to the 4th floor, it might look like there’s a lot of open space. Why not fill all that space in with furniture, so even more students can study? First, the fire code limits how many seats we can have on a floor, in order to keep occupancy at a safe level. Even if we didn’t have that limitation, keeping the furniture spaced out helps keep volume level reasonable for everyone using the floor. With the furniture replacement, there are more seats on the 4th floor now than there were even last semester! We’ve increased seating by about 10 percent. And there’s now a wider array of functionality for a variety of uses.

Tell Us What You Think!

We’re planning to observe how the new furniture is used, as well as soliciting constructive feedback from students. We can use that information to rearrange furniture into configurations that might work better for folks. Beyond that, we’re always open to student input, and we definitely consider it seriously when planning any building or service changes. We want Snell Library to be an environment that is shaped by its users, from first-year students to faculty. Send us your feedback!