Eckhardt-Gramatté Music Library: Chronology of a Building Project

Abstract

On August 10, 2015, the Eckhardt-Gramatté Music Library closed the doors of the space it had occupied at 65 Dafoe Rd at the University of Manitoba since it opened in 1965, and prepared to move to its new home down the street in the Taché Arts Complex, 136 Dafoe Rd. The move itself took three days, and was the culmination of eight years of planning, design, and preparation. The Library re-opened in its new home approximately one month later, on September 26, 2015. The new space is 2.5 times larger than the old, has nearly three times the number of student study seats, and every shelf has room for growth. This article documents a brief history of the Library, and chronicles the move to the new location from the announcement in 2008, through the space planning, design, and construction phases, to moving day and beyond. At the end of the article is an overview of lessons learned and a recommended reading list for anyone lucky enough to enter into a new library building project.