Waiting for the elevator to take you to your floor is now a little more interesting at James Branch Cabell Library. An installation of new wall graphics surrounding the elevator doors combines basic signage information ("fourth floor quiet study") with inspiring quotations.
Some of the quotes have Richmond origins and VCU ties. James Branch Cabell, the early 20th century author for whom the four-story library building on the Monroe Park Campus is named, has a point to make about direction in life. Humanitarian and tennis great Arthur Ashe offers a lesson in living well. Nobel Laureate John B. Fenn, who taught analytical chemistry at VCU, speaks of the purpose of education. Richard Carylon, the celebrated art professor who taught at VCU for some 40 years, talks about unreal acts. Francis M. Foster, the inspirational teacher, dentist, historian and civic activist, shares his thoughts about quality and quantity.
Typical of building-related projects, the elevator art installation took some time. Discussions originated with Brian Ohlinger, Associate Vice President overseeing facilities management. The aged elevators in the four-story building often stranded riders. After they were refurbished in 2009, the scuffed elevator doors, with multiple layers of paint, looked shabby with the fresh interiors, so Ohlinger authorized KSA Interiors to design a new elevator facade. Bob O'Connor, the facilities project manager, supervised the work and Caren Girard, VCU Facilities' interior design project manager, served as liaison to KSA.
"Our students on the Undergraduate Library Advisory Committee provided the best critique of the design," recalls Associate University Library Jeanne M. Hammer, who managed the project for VCU Libraries. "They gave some really good feedback and suggested refinements to the design. The idea to incorporate quotes from profound thinkers worldwide came from the students."
A months-long effort followed, with students, faculty members and community members nominating almost 300 quotations for the walls, suggesting great thinkers and important voices to feature. The faculty library advisory committee also helped by rank ordering the quotes in order to narrow down to a manageable number for design purpose.
Reference Librarian for the Humanities and Reference Collection Coordinator John Glover provided definitive research on the origins and accuracy of quotes; a few of those suggested were misquotes and had to be discarded. Library senior administration made the final choices, notably to include VCU voices in the presentation.
FIRST FLOOR
"While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction." - James Branch Cabell
Cabell, J. B. (1927). "The Works of James Branch Cabell." (Vol. 1). New York: Robert M. McBride & Company. P. 132.
"VCU Libraries opens doors to learning and discovery." - VCU Libraries Mission, Vision, and Values
SECOND FLOOR
"The purpose of education is to develop young people's minds, not fill them up with a lot of facts. Teach them how to think." - John Fenn
Fenn, J. B., & El-Shall, M. S. (2009). A conversation with John B. Fenn. Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry, 2. doi: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-060908-155216. P. 11.
"The power to question is the basis of all human progress." - Indira Gandhi
Gandhi, I. (1975). "Indira Gandhi, Speeches and Writings." New York: Harber & Row. P. 147
"Imaginary acts are not unreal." - Richard Carlyon
Carlyon, R. (2009). Richard Carlyon: a retrospective. Richmond, Virginia: Anderson Gallery. P. 36. (Taken from a video, "A Saying of Sorts.")
THIRD FLOOR
"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." - Arthur Ashe
Ashe, A., & Rampersad, A. (1994). "Days of Grace : A Memoir." New York: Ballantine Books. P. 196.
"The Master said, 'Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.'" -Confucian Analects
Legge, J. (1900). The four books: Confucian analects, the great learning, the doctrine of the mean, and the works of Mencius. China: The Commercial Press.
"Not all those who wander are lost."- J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien, J.R.R. (2002). "The Fellowship of the Ring." Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. P. 171.
Some of the quotes have Richmond origins and VCU ties. James Branch Cabell, the early 20th century author for whom the four-story library building on the Monroe Park Campus is named, has a point to make about direction in life. Humanitarian and tennis great Arthur Ashe offers a lesson in living well. Nobel Laureate John B. Fenn, who taught analytical chemistry at VCU, speaks of the purpose of education. Richard Carylon, the celebrated art professor who taught at VCU for some 40 years, talks about unreal acts. Francis M. Foster, the inspirational teacher, dentist, historian and civic activist, shares his thoughts about quality and quantity.
Typical of building-related projects, the elevator art installation took some time. Discussions originated with Brian Ohlinger, Associate Vice President overseeing facilities management. The aged elevators in the four-story building often stranded riders. After they were refurbished in 2009, the scuffed elevator doors, with multiple layers of paint, looked shabby with the fresh interiors, so Ohlinger authorized KSA Interiors to design a new elevator facade. Bob O'Connor, the facilities project manager, supervised the work and Caren Girard, VCU Facilities' interior design project manager, served as liaison to KSA.
"Our students on the Undergraduate Library Advisory Committee provided the best critique of the design," recalls Associate University Library Jeanne M. Hammer, who managed the project for VCU Libraries. "They gave some really good feedback and suggested refinements to the design. The idea to incorporate quotes from profound thinkers worldwide came from the students."
A months-long effort followed, with students, faculty members and community members nominating almost 300 quotations for the walls, suggesting great thinkers and important voices to feature. The faculty library advisory committee also helped by rank ordering the quotes in order to narrow down to a manageable number for design purpose.
Reference Librarian for the Humanities and Reference Collection Coordinator John Glover provided definitive research on the origins and accuracy of quotes; a few of those suggested were misquotes and had to be discarded. Library senior administration made the final choices, notably to include VCU voices in the presentation.
FIRST FLOOR
"While it is well enough to leave footprints on the sands of time, it is even more important to make sure they point in a commendable direction." - James Branch Cabell
Cabell, J. B. (1927). "The Works of James Branch Cabell." (Vol. 1). New York: Robert M. McBride & Company. P. 132.
"VCU Libraries opens doors to learning and discovery." - VCU Libraries Mission, Vision, and Values
SECOND FLOOR
"The purpose of education is to develop young people's minds, not fill them up with a lot of facts. Teach them how to think." - John Fenn
Fenn, J. B., & El-Shall, M. S. (2009). A conversation with John B. Fenn. Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry, 2. doi: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-060908-155216. P. 11.
"The power to question is the basis of all human progress." - Indira Gandhi
Gandhi, I. (1975). "Indira Gandhi, Speeches and Writings." New York: Harber & Row. P. 147
"Imaginary acts are not unreal." - Richard Carlyon
Carlyon, R. (2009). Richard Carlyon: a retrospective. Richmond, Virginia: Anderson Gallery. P. 36. (Taken from a video, "A Saying of Sorts.")
THIRD FLOOR
"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." - Arthur Ashe
Ashe, A., & Rampersad, A. (1994). "Days of Grace : A Memoir." New York: Ballantine Books. P. 196.
"The Master said, 'Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.'" -Confucian Analects
Legge, J. (1900). The four books: Confucian analects, the great learning, the doctrine of the mean, and the works of Mencius. China: The Commercial Press.
"Not all those who wander are lost."- J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien, J.R.R. (2002). "The Fellowship of the Ring." Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. P. 171.
FOURTH FLOOR
"Quantity is what
you can count, but quality is what you can count on." -Dr. Francis M.
Foster
Foster, Francis. Interview 3.
Oral History Project: Twentieth Century Richmond, Virginia. VCU Libraries
Digital Collections. 27 February 2006
"A new type
of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move toward higher levels"
- Albert Einstein
Nathan
and Norden, "Einstein on Peace." P. 383
"You must do
the thing which you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt
Roosevelt, E. (1960). "You Learn by Living." New York: Harper. P. 30.