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A previous version of this story said that the Goldstein Library would be repurposed for the School Of Entrepreneurship. In an email, Kate Mullen, Digital Media Coordinator for College Of Communication & Information, reached out to clarify that "the building will remain a School of Information building, as will the new space [that will replace it]. It will function as a university resource within the school." 

When I wrote this eulogy, I was seated at my usual desk in Goldstein Library, reflecting on my time at Florida State University and the critical role Goldstein Library has played in my studies and recreation. Over the years, Goldstein has been a sanctuary for myself and many others, offering students a relaxing enclave away from the hustle and bustle of other multipurpose spaces on campus. As I sat there in the empty shell of a building devoid of books and stripped of adornments, I could not help but imagine what this building will become in the next year.

Goldstein Library is housed in the Shores building, a stout, unsuspecting structure situated in the shadow of Strozier Library. The ground floor was home to the children's literature and information technology collections, with IT classrooms occupying the top and bottom floors. These features gave Goldstein a unique atmosphere, reinforced by the fact that no other library had any sort of discernable character.

I first discovered Goldstein Library several years ago while meeting requirements for an art class. As a freshman, I was immediately overwhelmed by the apparent absence of structure that Goldstein possessed. Unlike Strozier and Dirac, patrons of Goldstein seemed to be there by choice, and not by necessity. I saw more students solving jigsaw puzzles and napping on couches than I did frantically cramming for finals.

I felt like I had been let in on a secret, one that most of my peers had not yet realized. I found a quiet, laid back area to study where I would not be affected by the air of anxiety evident in some of the more heavily trafficked libraries on campus. This setting allowed me to allocate sufficient time to my studies, while rewarding myself with frequent study breaks. I could relax and goof off at Goldstein without receiving dirty looks from other students, which would be almost impossible at Strozier or Dirac.

It was not until I was an upperclassman that I began to value the recreational aspects of Goldstein Library. With a schedule that had several gaps between classes and an unfortunate roommate situation, I found myself at Goldstein during all of my downtime. I have fallen asleep on every couch at Goldstein more times than I can count, skimmed through several children’s books, solved jigsaw puzzles and regularly ate my lunch at my desk. Goldstein Library was part of my daily routine.

At the start of the fall semester, I began to notice changes in the library. It started with the addition of 3D printers, followed by virtual reality computers. I enjoyed watching demonstrations of these technologies, but I thought it was odd that they would take place at the children’s book library. I could sense that the library’s identity was changing. For instance, a couple months ago I fell asleep on a couch, and when I awoke there were a few dozen people having a meeting around me – discussing something to do with drones.

A few weeks ago, librarians moved the entire children’s literature and information technology collections. I was surprised to see the building almost completely empty except for some tables, desks and couches. In the lobby of the library on an easel were schematics for the Innovation Hub, set for completion by the start of Fall 2017. The plan includes spaces for conference rooms, open collaboration areas, a digital fabrication lab, an artificial reality room and a small quiet space with no couches. The exterior of the Shores building is being revamped as well, with an updated courtyard and vibrant orange sign that reads “iHub”.

I recognize that the Innovation Hub will probably be a better use of space than Goldstein Library, and that the services and features the building will provide students with opportunities that will make Florida State University standout amongst other public universities. However, it makes me sad to think that people like myself who enjoyed Goldstein for its unique features will be displaced once the library officially closes at the end of this semester. Goldstein Library has provided myself and other regular patrons with a low-stress atmosphere that is not available in many places on campus, and it will be remembered and missed as such.

For anyone that is interested, the couches at Goldstein Library will be auctioned by Florida State University as surplus property.

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