By Madeline Swanson | Photos by Marc-Grégor Campredon | Video by Anna Anderson
It’s around noon on a brisk Tuesday morning in January. Second semester is underway at the University of Michigan, and studying is back in swing at the Shapiro Library.
One student sits at a high-rise table, equipped with headphones and a tablet as she listens to an online lesson. Across the large, naturally lit room, a group of friends study together in a comfy booth, while others jot notes on portable whiteboards as they discuss course material. And though the area is fairly quiet, it’s still bustling with busy students.
This is typically how you’ll find the Stephen S. Clark Commons—a renewed, 37,500-square-foot space on the third floor of the library funded by Stephen Clark (BSEMech ’74, MBA ’76).
Opening its doors to the campus community in April 2023, Clark Commons has over 200 seats for students, spanning collaborative spaces, individual study areas, soundproof booths, bookable study rooms, a student-focused program and exhibit space, and more.
What’s the response so far? Students are raving about the new space, according to Lisa Carter, university librarian and dean of libraries.
“Whenever I talk to students, they immediately bring up the Clark Commons,” Carter said. “For them, the flexibility and the ability to choose different kinds of study spaces is really important. And we've tried to do that here in the Clark Commons as much as possible.”
It’s, perhaps, not surprising they speak so highly of the space, given the commons was designed in collaboration with students, Carter said. During conversations throughout the construction process, students had many opportunities to influence the design of the type of library they were truly looking for, from helping to test and select the furniture to helping to create the best user experience.
“Many students will tell us they need a sense that there's something going on around them. They don't want it to be loud and obnoxious, but they want to know that other people are working, too,” Carter said. “And I actually think that ties in really well with Steve's vision to provide a space where students could be productive.”
This same drive to be productive was precisely what inspired Clark’s gift. Clark recalls that when he was an undergraduate student, it was the library that served as his refuge when his fraternity brothers’ invitations to the local watering holes proved all too tempting.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the library saved my college career,” Clark said in a speech given at Clark Commons' grand opening. “For that, I will always be very grateful.”
Inspired by Clark’s commitment to the student experience and his vision for an innovative, welcoming space, Clark Commons serves as a model and a laboratory for connecting researchers and scholars to the broad array of library services, including more advanced research tools and practices such as data visualization, digital methods and tools, publishing, copyright, and more.
“Libraries will always be places for people to connect—with materials that convey knowledge and with others who are also pursuing learning, teaching, and research,” Carter said. “The Clark Commons is strong evidence that people still come together to get work done. Knowledge grows when you have resources at your fingertips, whether that’s digitally, physically, via experts, or in idea exchanges with your friends. And the library’s job is to enable that in the widest variety of ways."
Yasmeen Ogaily (LSA Class of 2027) frequents Clark Commons, especially for more lengthy study sessions.
“I like that there's a myriad of different spaces where you can go and study or hang out with friends,” Ogaily said. “All the different booths and tables and study spaces are really nice, and I like that there's a lot of windows and natural lighting, which really helps when you're studying here for hours on end.”
Many students, like Ogaily’s friend and fellow student Wadih Elaridi (LSA Class of 2026), find the commons so comfortable, it’s becoming a preferred study space for undergraduates.
“I spent all of last semesters’ finals here. They saw me here for hours on end,” Elaridi said, gesturing to friends in his study group. “I'm very appreciative of Stephen Clark for providing us the space. It's definitely helped me in my academic career at Michigan.”
While some visit the commons for quiet study time or to work on a group project, others visit to utilize the library’s vast resources. Much like Clark, the library and this space provide a change of scenery for Lonjezo Sithole (AM ’23), who said he prefers working here over his office.
“I'm really grateful to the donors for providing this space, because I think it's one of those rare places where you can meet and you have lots of people coming to work together and do some collaborative work together,” Sithole said.
While today’s libraries may appear physically different and serve wider uses than they did in Clark’s time on campus, students and scholars alike continue to seek refuge at the library, a tradition he believes will stand the test of time.
“It is my hope, and really my expectation, that this beautiful new commons will serve many generations of Michigan students,” Clark said. “I expect they will find it to be a safe and comfortable place for quiet study, for collaboration, and for all sorts of scholarly activities. And, of course, some things never change, so I expect it will still be needed and will still serve as a pretty good place to go to escape from your friends when you have to get some work done.”
