Grant Will Fund Upgrades to Moody Memorial Library

Next year, Moody Memorial Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary as Baylor University’s main campus library. In July, Baylor received a generous gift that will allow the library to pass that milestone in style.

On July 26, Baylor announced a $100,000 grant from the Moody Foundation that will be used to renovate and upgrade the historic structure’s first floor.

With this gift, the Moody Foundation — which provided a sizable lead gift that helped finance the building’s construction in 1967 — has pledged its support to revitalize the building’s interior with the creation of an innovative instructional learning space complete with flexible furnishings, upgraded interiors and the latest in instructional technology.

“This gift will serve as a significant catalyst for our long-term plans to reimagine and renovate Moody’s first floor as we continue to meet the needs of our 21st-century patrons,” said John S. Wilson, interim dean of University Libraries. “The Moody Foundation saw the importance of continuing to provide a high level of service to Baylor students, faculty and staff through innovative learning spaces, and we are excited to partner with them on this project.”

Located behind the library’s main circulation desk, the space is envisioned as a multi-purpose active learning area to fill the growing need for dedicated areas in the library that support a variety of instructional needs.

Beth Farwell, director of Central Libraries, noted that the planned space is an important jumping-off point for grander plans for Moody.

“We hope to see the entire first floor reimagined to include the kind of spaces students have told us are important to their success, like individual study spaces and aesthetically pleasing areas that inspire creativity, collaboration, and academic success,” she said.