Open Doors

In 2021, JCB Director Karin Wulf and Board of Governors member Bill Twadell presented Welcome and Access, a gentle renovation that featured a renovated front entrance, a state-of-the-art digital space, and more.

A Gentle Renovation

Part of Welcome and Access involved renovating the west entrance to the building. This renovation enhanced the "front porch" to accommodate a walkway and added automatic doors for full accessibility. Refurbished wooden doors now stand inside glass doors, illuminated when the building is closed and allowing a view through to the interior when the library is open.

We also refreshed exhibition spaces and created a history of JCB exhibits and publications that is showcased in the historic MacMillan Reading Room.

A New Digital Door

Just as we have renovated the west entrance, we have renovated our digital front door. The JCB has a long tradition of opening access to its materials. 

We have a long tradition of sharing our collection using the latest technology that dates back to the Photostat machine that was acquired in the early 20th century. 

Building this digital space has been as complex as the physical renovation, requiring similar attention to the JCB's traditions and future, to design and to user experience. We have learned so much in the pandemic about how the JCB can support and share inquiry into the early Americas, in large part through the essential service of our digital collections. We want to use what we have learned as we think about how we serve students, scholars, and communities near and far. 

During the JCB Open Doors Ceremony, we also launched our digital platform, Americana, which will bring together in one place all of our digital assets, allow users from around the world to create projects with these materials, and host our extensive and ongoing program of digital exhibitions.