Chabot College’s new library opened in Fall 2024 after four years of construction and has sparked mixed reactions among students in its short time of opening.

Chabot’s library was established in 1961 along with the rest of the campus’s original buildings. With such a rich history associated with current and former students, campus, and community, there’s no surprise that Chabot students are still grieving over the old library. 

We put out a poll to hear our students’ feedback on the new and old libraries. The results came back with 80% of students preferring the new library, and 20% preferring the old one. 

Paul Pinza, Dean of Language Arts, and Chabots Librarians Dr. Reynoso, and Dr. Manson, discussed the 28.6 percent of students of the poll and addressed their concerns. Some feedback that was given from the students involved the architecture and the collection of physical books which is no stretch of concern considering the lack of physical books available compared to the previous library: “The Chabot library has like zero variety and I don’t even think it can be called one because I haven’t seen a single soul check out a book -Anonymous student’’

Pinza stated, “Students in the survey did notice that there were fewer books but, there was a lot of intention around reducing the collection which we had to do because the new building afforded us less space. We made sure we decolonized our collection and made sure it elevated a wide range of diverse cultural perspectives, diverse media, and really reflect our student body.”

As addressed by Pinza, the cause of the insignificant amount of books was not only due to the availability of space but also due to the factor of responsibility he and the librarians felt to provide the students with culturally relevant literature and recognize the needed updates in the library’s collection. 

An additional issue that was brought up by the students was the modernized design of the new library. Many have mentioned that the new look feels one could say, “dead” or compared to a hospital, which in all likelihood is associated with the nostalgia students feel for the old library. 

The old library was a dome of dim lights, cozy seating, and rows after rows of books for students to choose from, but who’s to say that the new library can’t bring the same sense of comfort? Apart from the newly upgraded collection, the new library includes individual study rooms for students to schedule study times for a quiet and isolated space as needed. 

In addition, the new library is expected to have new upgrades to bring more life to the space. As stated by Reynoso these new upgrades will include paintings, bulletin boards, and an overall focus on building a community and a space that is culturally relevant to its students and faculty. 

Despite some students’ nostalgia for the old library, the new space has garnered significant recognition for its design and sustainability. In fact, Chabot College’s Library and Learning Connection building received a 2020 Community College Facility Coalition (CCFC) Professional Design Award of Excellence in the Project in Design category.

As the new library continues to evolve, its future growth reflects the ongoing adaptation to the needs of the campus community. In the words of Dr Reynoso: “I’ve learned throughout the years that buildings are a living organism, and we will continue to evolve as a building. We’re like a baby, this is really our first year so we have a lot more to learn and we should be dynamic and responsive to students’ requests and needs.”

Dr.Manson “It’s living, it’s breathing and one of the founding ideas is having space to grow into. Things can change, be updated, and transform.”