A library stands symbolically at the focal point of any university. At Ohio State, our historic William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library also stands physically at the apex of our beloved Oval, a monument to the thousands of Buckeyes who have walked its halls for nearly a century.

Today, scores of construction workers labor to rebuild our Thompson Library. The Board of Trustees and I are deeply committed to restoring this great facility to its original beauty and functionality, while modernizing its infrastructure and adding state-of-the-art digital resources to support teaching and learning. The renovation and renewal of the Thompson Library is among the most important efforts now under way at Ohio State. We look forward with delighted anticipation to that day in mid-2009 when it is re-opened for scholars and once again takes its place as the heart and soul of Ohio State.

We are fortunate to have a highly respected library system that ranks among the top 12 of public universities across the nation. Our superb collection and staff, located in 20 facilities across the campus, support the teaching and research that are essential to the mission of this University. Restoring our main library will help advance our academic reputation, improve our teaching and learning environment, strengthen our ability to conduct research, and help attract top-quality faculty and students. And, of course, it will honor and celebrate the symbol of academic experience that has meant so much to our Buckeyes across the years.

This is Ohio State’s time. As we take the leap from excellence to eminence, I hope that many of our alumni and friends will generously support this very important initiative.

Sincerely,
E. Gordon Gee
President
The Ohio State University

(top of page)