SC State breaks ground on $30.3 million library

New 50,000-square-foot building will replace Miller F. Whittaker Library, house the university’s Honors College

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University broke ground Friday, Oct. 23, on a new $30.3 million, 50,000-square-foot library, marking another major investment in the university's academic infrastructure and campus transformation. 

The two-story facility will be built on the former site of Bradham and Manning residence halls, replacing the existing Miller F. Whittaker Library on the other side of campus. It will provide modern spaces and technology for study, research, instruction and collaboration.

“On behalf of the South Carolina State University Board of Trustees, I'm pleased to celebrate an investment that will serve our students and strengthen academic life,” Board Chairman Douglas D. Gantt said. “I'm sure that many of you know that we would not be the same persons we are today if it were not for the people we meet in the books we read.”

Gantt joined SC State President Alexander Conyers, U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, university trustees, academic leaders and representatives of the project's architectural and construction firms for the groundbreaking ceremony.

The library also will house the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College, which is named for the congressman’s late wife, bringing library services and Honors College activities together in a centralized academic environment. 

The congressman offered the crowd some additional history about the library’s construction site. Along with Manning and Bradham, two residence halls that were razed several years ago, the site was also home to Floyd Hall, a brick dining hall and kitchen built in the early 20^th century.

“The cafeteria back then was a little building that offered food to about 150 people because it was the experimental center for home economics,” said Clyburn, a 1962 SC State graduate. “You know how I know that? That's where I washed dishes.”

Transforming the SC State campus with advanced facilities 

Conyers thanked the South Carolina General Assembly for funding the project and the Board of Trustees for supporting it. He also thanked Dr. Gerald Smalls, SC State vice president for finance and administration; Ken Davis, associate vice president for facilities management; and their teams for shepherding the project.

The new library is part of approximately $330 million in state- and federally funded capital improvements underway or planned for SC State's main campus and Public Service and Agriculture sites.

Projects under construction on the Orangeburg campus include a $54.7 million academic building, a $20 million student center expansion, a $50 million new residence hall and the $25 million renovation of Sojourner Truth Hall, an existing residence hall.

Conyers invited the crowd back to campus for ribbon-cutting ceremonies for those four projects upon completion, as well as the groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects in the planning stages.

“So, great things are happening here at South Carolina State University,” Conyers said. “Thanks to all of you for what you do every single day for the students at this great university.”

Modern spaces for learning and collaboration

Representing the future of the project, SC State's Mister Honors College Charles Butler Jr. and Miss Honors College Jada Gittings welcomed attendees to the groundbreaking ceremony.

“One day future students will walk into this library, find their favorite place to study, meet new friends and dream about what they want to become,” Gittings said. “And we get to say we were here when it all began.”

“That's what makes today so exciting,” Butler said. “We're witnessing something that will continue to make a difference long after we graduate.”

The new library is designed to combine traditional library services with flexible spaces for individual study, group projects, research and instruction. 

Architectural plans show that the first floor will include:

• Reading rooms for individual study and research.
• Meeting spaces and conference rooms for group activities and collaboration.
• University archives for historical collections and research materials.
• Computer lab for technology-supported learning and research.
• Administrative offices for library personnel.
• Central atrium providing a gathering space.
• Café offering a place for students and visitors to gather.
• Exhibition area for displays and presentations.

 The second floor will include additional reading rooms, meeting spaces, a computer lab, a media lab and a faculty lounge.

 Dr. Ruth Hodges, SC State's dean of Library and Information Services, said Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony was a long time coming. 

“This new library was envisioned and championed through at least two previous library administrations,” Hodges said. “Our journey represents years of planning, advocating, hoping and believing that one day we would stand here and see this vision become a reality. And today here we are. 

“Those of us who work in libraries understand that the library is much more than about books or a building. It is about people. It is about our students having a place to study, to learn, collaborate, explore new ideas, and access the information and technology they need,” Hodges said. 

A permanent home for the Clyburn Honors College

 Dr. Windy Mack Stephenson, interim dean of the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College, thanked Clyburn and his family for entrusting the Honors College with the privilege of carrying her name and continuing her work through the lives of scholars.

“Dr. Emily England Clyburn believed deeply in education. She understood that access to knowledge could change the direction of any young person's life,” Stephenson said. “As a librarian, educator and loyal daughter of South Carolina State University, she dedicated her life to helping others discover opportunities they might never have imagined for themselves. And that is what makes today so special.

“How fitting that the Honors College bearing her name will find its new home within a library, a place devoted to the very thing she valued. She valued knowledge, discovery, learning, and most importantly, opportunity,” Stephenson said. 

Dedicated Honors College facilities will include: 

• Commons area for student interaction and collaborative activities.
• Offices for Honors College administration and staff.
• Conference rooms for meetings and academic discussions.
• Multipurpose room for academic activities and college events.

 The new spaces will give Honors College students convenient access to library resources while providing a dedicated environment for academic engagement and college activities.

Architect, builder emphasize excellence and lasting relationships

Representatives of Evoke Studio Architecture, the project's architectural firm, and Thompson Turner Construction, the construction firm, also addressed the crowd. Evoke co-founder Edwin Harris said the library will help students become the greatest version of themselves and give back to the community, the university, and ultimately the world.

 “What's amazing about a library is it's not only excellence in action, but it provides access to excellence, and I think that is very profound — something that we're very excited about,” Harris said. 

Both companies were already working with SC State when they signed on for the library project — Evoke through the new academic building and Thompson Turner via the student center expansion project taking shape across Geathers Street from the library site. 

Bradley Holeman, project executive for Thompson Turner, said the company’s core values include relationship building.

“Our biggest thing is getting in with a client, building that relationship, and building for years to come,” Holeman said. 

More to come for SC State

Additional projects planned for the campus include:

• Nance Hall renovation: A $13 million project to house SC State’s College of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences.
• The University Transportation Center: A $13.5 million facility dedicated to transportation studies, research and innovation.
• New ROTC facility: A $19 million, 30,000-square-foot facility that will serve the university’s Military Science Program and the Bulldog Army ROTC Battalion.
• New Public Safety headquarters: An $8 million project as part of an effort to enhance campus safety and security.
• New convocation center: A $60 million-$70 million multipurpose academic facility that would replace Smith-Hammond-Middleton Center.

Together, the projects represent a significant investment in SC State's future, expanding academic resources, increasing student housing capacity and modernizing facilities to strengthen the student experience. The improvements also will provide infrastructure to support teaching, research and student success for generations to come. 

The new library will be a central part of that transformation, offering students, faculty and researchers a modern academic environment while creating a permanent home for the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College. Its construction marks another step in SC State's ongoing effort to build a campus that supports academic excellence and prepares students for opportunities beyond graduation.