Tisch Library celebrates its 10th anniversary today with a full slate of events, featuring a talk by Martin J. Sherwin, co-author of "American Prometheus."
The book, a biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for biography as well as the National Book Critics' Circle Award.
In addition to the talk, the library will screen a film on its history, followed by a tour highlighting its extensive art collection.
The original library building, which Tufts renovated in 1996, was called the Wessell Library and was built in 1964.
The $21 million reconstruction project was made possible by a $10 million donation from Preston Robert "Bob" Tisch and Joan Tisch. (It was their son, Jonathan Tisch (LA '76), who last May donated $40 million to the University's College of Citizenship and Public Service.)
"After the renovation, there was a lot more light," said Connie Reik, an associate librarian who has been with the library for the last 16 years. "Light was a huge factor. We only had three skylights and now we have eleven or twelve. It's a much more welcoming environment."
According to Reik, the library was open through almost all of the construction, and closed only during the intercession.
"The book stacks were still open," she said.
Since 1996, the library has built two new sections. The hemicycle, or Level G, that faces Anderson Hall, was completed in April 2004 and the Tower Caf?© was built in the fall of 2005.
- Pranai Cheroo
