Work starts on new Ringling College library

Ringling College of Art and Design President Larry Thompson this morning donned a hardhat, strapped into an excavator and kicked off demolition of the site where the school’s new $18 million library will sit.

The demolition is one of the first steps in the college’s plan to build the three-story, 46,000-square-foot library at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Old Bradenton Road. The building will nearly quadruple the size of Ringling’s current library.

The new library will include a café and 12 group study rooms — a significant increase over the current library, which has just one. The library’s collection will grow, as well: The general collection will nearly double, while the number of special collections will increase from 1,500 to 15,000.

The school continues its campaign to raise $16 million for the project. Those interested in donating should contact the Ringling College Library Campaign at 309-0117, or via email at [email protected].