May 8, 3 pm

Image courtesy of Pepperdine Libraries

Join us for a tour of the newly renovated Payson Library at Pepperdine University in beautiful Malibu on Tuesday, May 8 at 3 pm. Please RSVP here.

Payson Library at Pepperdine University reopened last fall after a 15-month, $22.4 million renovation. Influenced by Spanish Revival architecture, the new building design honors tradition while addressing 21st-century needs for digital integration and flexibility to accommodate diverse learning styles. The new additions range from a high-tech makerspace to expanded study areas that seamlessly integrate traditional setups with more informal seating configurations. Responding to environmental concerns, motion-sensor LED lighting reduces power usage, as does a NEH grant-funded sustainable preservation and storage system for Special Collections and Archives.

The service goals of openness and accessibility also provided key inspiration for the design. "The abundant use of glass throughout the building helps showcase the Malibu coastline," says Dean of Libraries Mark Roosa, "as well as the intellectual work that takes place in spaces such as the Digital Learning Lab and archival processing areas." Since reopening, Payson Library has nearly doubled its daily gate count and now draws over 3,000 people a day.