The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

MASTER PLAN

Renovation and Expansion of

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The Master Plan sets the trajectory of Southern Seminary and Boyce College toward growth

and financial sustainability.

“The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is an institution that is more than 150 years old and a campus that is soon to be 90 years old. We have a responsibility to ensure that Southern Seminary’s campus will continue to serve the mission of delivering a top quality, faithful theological education that trains ministers of the gospel and missionaries who serve the church.”

R . A L b E R T M o h L E R J R .President of The Southern Baptist

Theological Seminary

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E N R I C h T h E I N T E L L E C T U A L h E A R T o F T h E C A M P U S :The library at Southern Seminary has often been called “the intellectual heart of the cam-pus,” the place where books, periodicals, jour-nals and other collections are curated for seri-ous scholarship. Focusing on changing needs related to learning, a thoughtful renovation of the library would make that true in a new way. Innovative approaches to organizing col-lections, stewarding technology and enhanc-ing interactive academic experiences would once again make the James P. Boyce Centen-nial Library the clear intellectual heart of the campus.

E X P A N D C o M M U N I T Y L E A R N I N G :Recently completed library renovation proj-ects demonstrate that students want to study in libraries. “Institutions that have built or renovated libraries as communal learning spaces are experiencing phenomenal respons-es,” says Bruce Keisling, Associate Vice Presi-dent for Academic Resources and Seminary Librarian. “That’s happening because stu-dents want to study with their peers, to have access to faculty, and to have support from library and academic support services all in one place.” Library renovation would signifi-cantly expand community learning opportu-nities for Southern through the addition of faculty offices, classrooms, exchange meeting rooms and labs for writing, technology and research.

Renovation and Expansion of James P. Boyce Centennial LibraryGrow the seminary as a learning community by restructuring the James P. Boyce Centennial Library to serve the next generation of gospel ministry.

“In the age of cyberspace, real space and compelling architecture will matter more than ever.” Bernard Frischer

C R E AT E T I M E L E S S L E A R N I N G E N V I R o N M E N T S : Timeless spaces such as the Wren Library at Trinity College in Cambridge, the Widener Library at Harvard University or the reading rooms at the New York Public, Boston Public and Nashville Public Libraries inspire learn-ing. Influenced by those libraries, the South-ern Seminary library will be renovated to include cathedral-like architecture, custom-trimmed stacks, reading lamps, checkerboard floors, well-curated collections and other distinctive elements as a means to motivate students to break away from a harried world and enter into a world of concentrated schol-arship with room for serious thought and research.

AERIAL VIEW

Expanding asPlannedBuilt on the 100th anniversary of the seminary’s founding, the James P. Boyce Centennial Library was designed with expansion in mind.

o P P o R T U N I T Y F o R S I G N I F I C A N T A D VA N C E :While it doesn’t require the level of mainte-nance attention as older buildings on campus, the library needs to be re-structured to serve the changing needs of today’s students.

P L A N N E D E X P A N S I o N :Enrollment stood at 1,100 when the Centen-nial Library opened. Today it stands at over 4,000. Anticipating growth, the seminary built the library in such a way that it could be expanded on the west side of the structure and in the process provide the building with a rear entrance consistent with the other pri-mary buildings on campus.

LIbRARY CAFE

C A F E :There were once two big taboos in libraries, Robert Darnton, Director of the University Library at Har-vard told Dr. Mohler in a recent Thinking in Public interview: you couldn’t talk and you couldn’t eat or drink in the library. “But now we’ve installed a café in the most popular of the undergraduate libraries,” he added and went on to explain the lively interac-tion he sees of students going between the café and the stacks. Along those same lines, the Boyce Cen-tennial Library will feature an indoor and outdoor café that will anchor a renovated first level.

LIbRARY READING RooM

R E A D I N G R o o M A N D C A F É :An inspiring reading room will draw students into the world-class learning environment of the renovated library. Reflecting revered spaces such as the Wren Library of Trinity College in Cambridge and the Rose Main Reading Room in the New York Public Library, the reading room will feature cathedral-like architecture, rows of tables, comfortable seating, reading lamps, and dramatic views to the West.

I N D o o R A N D o U T D o o R C A F É ,M E E T I N G S R o o M S :The first level will feature an indoor and outdoor café that will provide a hub for student connection as well as a conve-nient meal break for students in the middle of research. Further renovation on the first level will include meeting rooms, student storage lockers and library col-lection storage.

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F I R S T L E V E L

R E A D I N G R o o M , I N F o R M AT I o NT E C h N o L o G Y A N D N E W S S TA N D :Cathedral-like architecture, rows of tables, comfortable seating, reading lamps, and dramatic views to the West will engage visitors to the library as the second level is renovated into a timeless, inspired space for learning. A reading room along the lines of those at the New York Public, Boston Pub-lic and Nashville Public Libraries will anchor the library expansion on the West, drawing students into a world of concentrated scholarship. The second level will also feature expanded informa-tion technology, a research hub as well as a newsstand and gift shop.

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S E C o N D L E V E L

C U L T U R A L E N G A G E M E N T C E N T E R :The third level will also see significant transformation, as it is re-purposed for cultural en-gagement. A television and au-dio studio capable of recording and broadcasting will be built in the middle of the renovated floor. Additionally, film, radio and media labs will be added on the northern side of the floor and faculty offices, classrooms and seminar rooms will be built on the southern side. On both sides of the level, portions of the ceiling will be opened up to spotlight the core collections.

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T h I R D L E V E L

E X C h A N G E S T U D Y :Renovations will extend to the fourth level where the new spaces opened up to the stacks below will be surrounded by exchange meeting rooms along with student workstations and faculty offices. Additionally, the fourth level will include archives, special collections and library support.

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F o U R T h L E V E L

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C R o S S S E C T I o N

E X P A N S I o N o V E R V I E W :A cross-sectional view of the library ex-pansion provides an overview for how the cafe, reading room, instructional technol-ogy center and other new features would coordinate together.

Under the lordship of Jesus Christ, the mission of The

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is to be committed

totally to the Bible as the Word of God, to the Great

Commission as our mandate and to be a servant of the churches of the Southern

Baptist Convention by training, educating, and preparing

ministers of the gospel for more faithful service.