UVic library among top 15 in North America for innovation in design

UVic library among top 15 in North America for innovation in design

Published 12:00 pm Monday, January 12, 2026

A library or a learning space in a university usually goes beyond books to the academic community.

It can act as a place where the students feel included and empowered to reach their full potential.

That’s exactly what the University of Victoria’s Mearns Centre for Learning at McPherson Library wanted to achieve when a remodel was suggested.

The new design of the centre achieved its original target and went further, reaching among the top 15 libraries in North America for innovation in library design, as named by the American Library Association.

The library staff proposed a redesign that would highlight the university’s goals of decolonization by including Indigenous art, rethinking spatial relationships, and creating an environment that helps knowledge exchange and cultural representation.

It was led by Vancouver-based architectural firm Jensen Chernoff Thompson in 2021.

One of the most transformative changes suggested was the removal of obstructive service desks, which were replaced by a single, centralized Ask Us desk.

“We’ve created a desk that is much less hierarchical. It’s much more open, so it’s more welcoming and less intimidating, especially for students who are not as confident or who might have some anxiety approaching the desk,” associate university librarian Karen Munro told Saanich News.

The desk’s open design includes multiple passageways that allow staff to move easily through the space, while also making it simpler for students to approach from any direction.

Munro said this openness helps create a more relaxed and inviting environment.

Local two-spirit Indigenous artist Geena Powa Haiyupus, who has roots in the Penelakut Nation and the Hesquiaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, was selected to create artwork for the renovation.

Her work is featured on glass panels and walls throughout both the interior and exterior of the Mearns-McPherson Library. The artwork shows elements central to the natural world of the Coast Salish peoples, including whales, salmon, urchins, kelp, red herring and seals.

Following the renovation, the library gathered feedback from users to assess how well the changes were working. According to Munro, the response was overwhelmingly positive.

“In terms of the layout, we got a lot of responses about how much better people found this renovation. They found it more open and more welcoming.”

Users also commented on how easy it was to approach staff, make eye contact and move through the space. Munro noted that people appreciated the sustainability and circular design of the desk, which allows it to be approached from any angle.