Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons: A History of Academic Innovation at Seattle University

The Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons stands as the central academic library and learning hub at Seattle University, a private Jesuit institution in Seattle, Washington. Its evolution reflects the university's growth and commitment to providing cutting-edge resources for its students and faculty.

Origins and Early Years

The origins of what would become the A.A. Lemieux Library trace back to the late 19th century, when Seattle University's library collection began in the Garrand Building in 1898 and later relocated to the third floor of the Liberal Arts Building (now the Administration Building) in 1947. By the late 1950s, these facilities were deemed inadequate to support the university's growing academic needs, prompting their prioritization in a five-year development campaign launched to fund campus infrastructure. This effort was part of a broader post-World War II expansion at Seattle University, driven by the influx of students under the GI Bill and led by President Father A.A.

To address the growing need for an expanded library, Seattle University secured funding through a $947,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, supplemented by an $850,000 loan and approximately $1.1 million in university pledges. Construction commenced in 1965 on the south end of the Seattle University campus, with the six-story structure-encompassing 92,677 square feet of steel, concrete, and marble-intended primarily as a functional book repository. Progress was delayed in spring 1966 by a three-week strike from the Cement Masons' Union over wages, resulting in the loss of 14 working days, though work resumed shortly after a contract agreement. The A.A. Lemieux Library at Seattle University was named in honor of Rev. A.A. Lemieux, who served as the university's president from 1948 to 1965. The library officially opened its doors, providing a much-needed upgrade to Seattle University's academic resources.

The Original Structure (1966)

The A.A. Lemieux Library, named after Seattle University's president from 1948 to 1965, was constructed in the mid-1960s to serve as the institution's primary academic library. The original structure spanned approximately 80,000 square feet and was built using steel, concrete, and veined white marble, reflecting midcentury architectural influences. Its exterior featured a prominent white marble façade, while the interior incorporated a distinctive double helix staircase as a central organizing element. Internally, the multi-story layout included closed stacks for housing the print collection, basic reading rooms, and study areas such as lounges, conference rooms, and individual carrels, providing seating for nearly 1,100 users. Natural light was minimal, prioritizing vertical stacking for volume capacity over expansive windows or open vistas.

Transformation and Expansion

By the late 2000s, the A.A. Lemieux Library, originally constructed in 1966, had become obsolete as an uninviting, book-focused repository lacking modern technology and collaborative functionality, prompting Seattle University to initiate a major renovation and expansion project. Planning for the transformation began in 2003-2004, with active construction occurring during the 2009-2010 academic year while library services operated from a temporary facility at 1313 E. Madison St.

The 2010 renovation and expansion of the A. A. Lemieux Library introduced a three-story glass-and-brick addition designed by Pfeiffer Partners as the design architect, with Mithun serving as executive architect, transforming the original 1960s structure into a modern, light-filled learning environment. This addition, spanning 32,963 square feet, connects to the existing building-which was renovated to 92,677 square feet-via a glass link that preserves and integrates the historic east facade into the new interior spaces, while subtle brick and frit patterns on the glass complement adjacent campus architecture. The white marble façade was retained as an interior wall and made visible by glass curtain walls on the exterior. The staircase facelift is an ode to midcentury design. Dropped was the ideal notion of a single entrance/exit in favor of five entrances with door controls and monitoring for maximum convenience. Gained was a “learning commons partnership” to coordinate services in the multifunctional facility. The result is a stunningly transparent and airy library and learning commons at the crossroads of the campus.

The goal was to create a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold environment that provided a collaborative, stimulating experience for users. Inside, students would find quiet and active spaces; an array of artwork (including works by Henry Matisse); computer labs; book, journal, media, and special collections; the university’s first media production center; smart classrooms; and academic support services like the writing center, research consultation, math lab, and tutoring and study assistance. Outside, students would be drawn to equally compelling spaces for socializing, studying, and exploring. The site’s slope dictated a step-down approach to a three-story addition. That strategy resulted in an addition that is appropriately scaled for pedestrian movement through the campus core. But now people stop to rest, read, or socialize in the new plaza, terraced amphitheater, meditation lawn, rain garden, and bioswale. Like a town square, these exterior spaces are a campus destination.

Achieving LEED Gold certification, the project incorporated sustainable design principles emphasizing energy efficiency, material selection, and resource conservation. Key features include an enhanced building thermal envelope to reduce heat loss, energy-saving mechanical equipment, and lighting fixtures controlled by daylight and occupancy sensors, which collectively minimize operational energy use. Water conservation measures, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures and a rain garden with bioswale for stormwater management, further support environmental goals, while the reuse of existing building components and sustainable materials like recycled content in construction contributed to the certification's credits for innovation in historic preservation.

Interior updates prioritized open, flexible layouts to promote collaborative learning, with multimedia integration across spaces like the Information Commons, media production studios, and instructional design centers equipped for digital content creation and distance learning. The design enhances aesthetic appeal by prominently displaying the university's impressive art collection on walls throughout the building, creating a culturally vibrant backdrop for study and research. Post-2010 renovation, the library's integration extended to outdoor enhancements, including a central plaza and rain gardens that define a new social and academic heart for the campus.

Spaces and Resources

The Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at Seattle University provides a range of dedicated spaces across its six floors designed to accommodate both individual quiet study and collaborative group work, fostering an environment conducive to academic success and available exclusively to current SU affiliates for academic purposes. Group study rooms support collaborative projects through reservable spaces equipped with essential technology and amenities. These rooms, distributed across multiple floors, feature whiteboards, widescreen TVs, computers, webcams, and DVD/Blu-ray players, with capacities ranging from four to 16 people depending on the room-such as Room 352 (four seats) on the third floor or Room 509 (16 seats) on the fifth floor. Varied environments cater to diverse study preferences, including quiet reading rooms for solitary concentration, active collaboration areas on lower floors with flexible furniture, and private individual study rooms on the fourth and fifth floors equipped with desks and adjustable lighting. The library houses the largest computer lab on campus, located on the first floor with 13 desktop stations specialized for advanced academic computing, including software for VR/AR development, 3D modeling, and data science analytics.

Billodue Makerspace and Media Production Center

The Billodue Makerspace, located in the Sinegal Building Room 130 within the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons, provides hands-on tools for physical creation and innovation, open to all Seattle University students, faculty, and staff. Complementing the makerspace, the Media Production Center (MPC) on the library's first floor equips users for digital multimedia projects, including video, audio, photography, animation, and graphics, with priority for class-related work. Facilities feature a podcast studio in LEML 116 equipped with microphones and audio recorders; editing suites for post-production; a screening room for viewing movies or animations; and access to generative AI tools through workshops like the Text to Image AI series. Both spaces offer inclusive programs to build skills, with orientations, basic trainings (e.g., 50-minute sessions on audio recording or laser cutter operation), activity trainings (e.g., sewing ugly animal heads), and workshops (e.g., stop-motion animation or crochet) designed for beginners and non-majors alike.

Amenities and Inclusivity

Key amenities enhance user comfort and support daily needs, including an on-site café located within the library and connected to the adjacent Student Center via a walkway, providing spaces for socializing and quick breaks near study areas. To promote inclusivity for diverse users, the facility incorporates quiet zones, such as the Ann Pigott Wyckoff Reading Room on the third floor designated as a keyboard-free quiet study area accommodating up to 33 individuals, alongside broader quiet study spaces supporting varied learning preferences.

Special Collections and Archives

Special collections form a key subset of the physical holdings, featuring rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials preserved for their historical, cultural, or fragility-related value. The Special Collections and Archives at Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons house unique, non-circulating materials that document Seattle University's history and broader cultural heritage, located on the sixth floor of the facility.

Central to the archives is the Seattle University Archives and History Collection, which preserves primary source materials on the institution's founding as Seattle College in 1892, its Jesuit heritage as a Catholic university sponsored by the Society of Jesus, and ongoing activities involving its members and surrounding communities. This collection includes administrative records, correspondence, photographs, maps, scrapbooks, yearbooks, student newspapers such as The Spectator (from 1938) and Palestra (1922-1927), bulletins and catalogs detailing admissions, courses, and campus life, as well as commencement programs from 1915 onward. Notable items highlight early campus development, such as early editions of the Seattle College Catalogue (1901-1915) featuring historic photographs of students and faculty at the original Jesuit-founded site, and high school programs from the temporary Interlaken campus (now Seattle Preparatory High School). The purpose of this collection is to collect and preserve important primary source materials relating to the history and activities of Seattle University, its past and present members and its surrounding communities. The title Aegis was adopted for the yearbook when Seattle College moved back to Broadway and Madison in 1931. This archival collection includes separate bulletins for graduate and undergraduate programs listed by academic year; plus limited years for Summer School. These bulletins include general information on admission, financial aid, tuition and fees, academic regulations and course names and descriptions across all colleges and programs. Predecessors to the Bulletin of Information include: Seattle College Catalogue, 1901-1915; Seattle College High School Catalogue, 1919-1930; Seattle College Bulletin, 1932-1947. The primary name Seattle University Bulletin of Information runs from 1948-2009. This set of Commencement programs lists the names of graduating students of Seattle College and Seattle University beginning in 1936 and runs consecutively to the present. The materials in this collection document the history of the Chapel of St. Ignatius from the initial project proposal in 1991 through the design, construction and dedication in 1997.

The rare books and manuscripts within Special Collections emphasize religious texts, regional history, and notable 20th-century donations, complementing the university's Jesuit roots and Pacific Northwest context. Religious holdings include fragile items like a Book of Hours and a Torah, preserved for their theological value and tied to the coordinator's expertise in Theology and Religious Studies. Manuscripts and texts related to Pacific Northwest and local community history appear in the broader University Archives, such as maps and photographs capturing early Seattle-area activities. Key 20th-century donations feature the Nathalie T. Wilson Collection of Mary, Queen of Scots (willed in 1965), comprising about 150 rare volumes in multiple languages on the queen and her family; the A.H. Sonsthagen Napoleonic Collection (acquired 1947), with 2,000 volumes on Napoleon's life and campaigns, including issues of Le Moniteur Universel (1789-1810); and the E.M. Standing Collection on Maria Montessori, donated in the mid-20th century, containing correspondence, lectures, and curriculum materials from her educational philosophy. Some portions, including finding aids for collections like the Chapel of St. Ignatius (documenting its 1991-1997 construction as a Jesuit spiritual landmark) and digitized versions of newspapers, yearbooks, bulletins, and programs, are available online via ScholarWorks and Archives West to facilitate broader research while minimizing handling of originals.

Read also: The UGL: A Complete History

Research and Consultation Support

The Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at Seattle University offers comprehensive research and consultation support to assist students, faculty, and researchers in navigating information resources effectively. This includes personalized assistance through librarians and integrated learning services, emphasizing one-on-one guidance for academic projects. Central to these offerings is the "Ask a Librarian" service, which provides 24/7 chat support (except national holidays) for immediate research questions, alongside in-person consultations at the 2nd Floor iDesk and scheduled appointments with subject specialist librarians. In-person and virtual consultations help users get started on research projects, locate books, articles, and primary sources, evaluate source credibility, and develop effective search strategies.

Complementing direct consultations, the library maintains an extensive collection of research guides and toolkits accessible online at all times, serving as subject-specific pathways to initiate inquiries and build research competencies. Over 40 subject guides cover disciplines including anthropology, biology, business, nursing, and political science, each linking to relevant databases like Academic Search Complete and JSTOR for multidisciplinary or targeted searches, while identifying assigned subject librarians for further assistance.

Within the McGoldrick Learning Commons, research support integrates seamlessly with the Writing Center and Math Lab, providing peer tutoring that leverages library resources to enhance academic skill-building. The Writing Center offers one-on-one peer sessions focused on writing processes, incorporating library databases and citation guides to support evidence-based composition. Similarly, the Math Lab delivers peer-led tutoring on mathematical concepts, drawing on library holdings in statistics and quantitative data to aid problem-solving and research applications.

Specialized consultations are available through the Affordable Learning Initiative, which addresses textbook affordability by guiding users toward open educational resources (OER) and cost-effective alternatives. Librarians, including the Access and Affordable Learning Librarian, offer personalized advice on OER integration, course reserves, and interlibrary loans, collaborating with faculty and students via the Open Education Task Force to reduce material costs without compromising quality.

Borrowing Privileges and Access

The Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons at Seattle University provides borrowing privileges primarily to its students, faculty, and staff, with tiered access for other users. Technology lending supports academic needs through items available at the circulation desk, including quarterly loans of Chromebooks and Windows laptops for students (renewable once), 6-day loans of iPad drawing kits, hotspots, and noise-canceling headphones (renewable once), and short-term in-library loans of 3 to 4 hours for calculators, cables, chargers, and portable Blu-ray players. Faculty and staff receive extended 7-day loans for laptops and hotspots, renewable on a case-by-case basis.

Access to the library is tiered to prioritize the Seattle University community. Alumni receive limited borrowing, with up to 6 items at a time (books for 6 weeks, media for 6 days, no renewals), and access to study spaces during business hours after registering a borrowing account. Guests, including community members and Summit visiting patrons from Orbis Cascade Alliance institutions, have restricted access; community guests are welcome during business hours with limited privileges such as guest WiFi and computer access on the second floor, while affiliated guests like Jesuit Passport participants can enter during operating hours and borrow up to 100 Summit items for 12 weeks (one renewal). Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services, managed through the ILLiad system, enable requests for materials not held locally or in the Summit catalog, excluding items like textbooks or rare materials. Users register once for an ILLiad account to submit forms, with journal articles typically delivered as PDFs within 3 days to 2 weeks and books arriving in 1 to 2 weeks depending on the lending library.

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