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Austin Peay library outlines renovations, growing makerspace and community programs
Summary
Library director Martina Malvasi described ongoing renovations to the first two floors, plans to renovate the third-floor stacks and an expanding makerspace open to students and the Clarksville community.
Austin Peay State University’s library director Martina Malvasi told the Board of Trustees on April 11 that the university library is completing major renovations to its first and second floors, planning a full renovation of the third floor and expanding a makerspace that serves students and the Clarksville community.
Malvasi, who oversees library operations, budgeting, staffing and strategic planning, told trustees the library recorded nearly 350,000 visitors during calendar year 2024 and supported hundreds of in-person classes and embedded instruction that reached thousands of students. "The library serves as the heart of academic achievement and our campus community," Malvasi said.
The library has renovated open, accessible spaces on the main floor, added a range of seating and height-adjustable tables and upgraded study-room booking. Malvasi emphasized accessibility work led by Christy Cunningham to ensure both physical and digital resources are available to patrons. She also described a new discovery research tool for which students recorded more than 433,000 basic searches and about 45,000 advanced searches in 2024.
Malvasi outlined the makerspace and a small VR lab opened in fall 2024 and credited staff members Tianna Sherry and Dominic Kroll for building the facilities. The space includes 3D printing, sewing and an embroidery machine, a Cricut cutting machine, heat press and fiber arts equipment. "This Makerspace offers diverse creative technology," Malvasi said, and is used by faculty as part of course assignments. She said the makerspace is open to students, staff, faculty and the Clarksville community and that the library will expand workshops such as beginner crochet and other skills sessions.
Malvasi highlighted informal student programs supported by library grants and staff, including a monthly Dungeons & Dragons evening funded by a student success grant and a ‘Scholars Compass’ workshop series developed by librarian Gina Nigro focused on time management, belonging and organizational skills.
Looking ahead, Malvasi said floors 1 and 2 renovations are nearly finished and planning is underway for renovating the third floor, which contains the majority of the library’s physical stacks. "We want versatile space upstairs for students to work and collaborate," she said, noting that transforming the third floor is technically challenging because of the book collection.
President Michael Licari introduced Malvasi’s presentation and praised the library’s work to modernize learning space. Trustees asked brief follow-up questions and offered congratulations on the makerspace and community engagement efforts.
The board did not take action on the presentation; the library spotlight was provided as an informational item.
