During the fall 2023 semester, the Labriola National American Indian Data Center is embarking on a new construction project at Hayden Library. The center will be expanding on the second floor to offer comprehensive library services and events to better support Indigenous ASU students, faculty, staff and the ASU community.
“The expansion of Labriola’s space at Hayden Library will allow us to push the definition of what a library can be for Indigenous peoples,” said Alex Soto, director of the Labriola Center. “This space will allow us to further share the importance of Indigenous librarianship at ASU, which we believe is critical for Indigenous student success and scholarly output.”
Construction began late summer on the new expanded space. Students and visitors to Hayden Library may experience minor disruptions as construction continues throughout the fall semester. The new space will offer study areas, offices for research consultation, art by local Indigenous artists as well as enhanced audio and visual equipment in event areas. As the only Indigenous-led library center within a doctoral research university in the United States, the center celebrates and critically engages with American Indian and Indigenous scholarly works and creative writing.
“As we continue to celebrate Labriola’s 30th anniversary, we’re back for another fall semester of exciting events,” said Soto. “And we can’t wait to celebrate the grand opening later this fall with everyone. Whether you need a quiet space to study, or a large space for group meetings, or a space to listen to vinyl records or a space to read Indigenous comics, the new Labriola Center will be a centralized Indigenous Knowledge zone for ASU students and community members.”
Space Updates: November 2023
June 2023
Beginning in June 2023, the second floor space in Hayden library was cleared to make room for the Labriola Center's new space renovations. The south area of the 2nd floor was cleared of furniture and desks.
August 2023
In August, the glass walls were in the process of being installed. During the renovation, the glass walls were covered, while the interior of the Labriola Center's new space was worked on.
Planning for Art Installation
While renovations were being made, Indigenous artists and muralists Thomas "Breeze" Marcus (O’odham, Ponca) and Dwayne Manuel (On'k Akimel Oʼodham) began designing murals for the new space. Because ASU and Labriola are on O'odham land, the surrounding sacred O’odham mountains will be highlighted on the outer glass walls.
Mural Art on Interior Wall
Additionally, another mural is being designed for the entrance of the space. The artists are currently working on bringing this art into fruition. Thomas "Breeze" Marcus gave a tour of his murals in downtown Phoenix last spring, and you can read our blog post about his tour, "Underground Art Uprising."
The art design can be viewed on our postcard, which contains information about our upcoming new space.
October 2023
In early October, the glass walls were completed and installation of the technology began. Recently, temporary furniture was moved into the new space. The new space will have a community area, lounge area, quiet study space, and study rooms for students to use. Students and staff in the Center have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the new space and here’s a sneak peak of things to come. Keep an eye out for more announcements coming soon!
Updates regarding the grand opening are ongoing. Visit lib.asu.edu/news/labriola for the latest news and events, or follow the Labriola Center on social media.
For questions regarding the Labriola Center or project, contact labriola@asu.edu.
This blog post will be updated with news regarding the Labriola Center space.