Richmond library gets a facelift

Kwantlen’s Richmond campus library is getting a boost from the federal and provincial government in the form of $1.2 million.

The school announced on Nov. 19 that the government’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program had granted the money, which will be used to upgrade and renovate the Richmond campus library.

Barbara Duggan, dean of Kwantlen’s Centre for Design and Communications, said in the press release that the improvements will include renovating the library to create 3,139 square feet of space from existing unused space, improving checkout and library support spaces and increasing resources, such as computers and collections.

“I think the technological advancement of students is pretty sophisticated today,” said Linda Reid, MLA for Richmond East. “I think the material and the resources have to keep pace with that.”

According to the release, the funding is also a part of the province’s $14-billion capital infrastructure program, which the government implemented to try and create jobs and improve public infrastructure.

This isn’t the first major grant or donation the school libraries has received. In 2005, the government and Kwantlen collaborated to fund a $36 million renovation of three buildings on Surrey Campus, which included the expansion of the Surrey Campus Library.

Earlier this year, Coast Capital Savings donated $1 million for Kwantlen’s libraries.