Spring Vol. 25 No. 2, 2009

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News From the Field

Edison State College

New Campus Library Embraces a Wireless Generation – Higher Education in a Digital Age

Following an extensive 16-month, $7 million renovation, the new Richard H. Rush Library located on the Lee Campus of Edison State College was dedicated, and celebrated, with a grand opening on Thursday, January 29th.

One of the original buildings on the Lee Campus, the 40-year-old library was stripped down to its foundation and rebuilt from the inside out. Today, the “new” Richard H. Rush Library is destined to become the heartbeat of the Lee Campus community where students can study independently, or in groups, faculty can expand their learning in the Teaching and Learning Center, school of education students can meet in a dedicated Learning Lab, and wireless and digital access is at the heart of the library’s infrastructure. Students can even meet friends and grab a latté and sandwich at the Rush Library Coffee Shop.

“We realize the library is the heart of virtually every college campus,” said Dr. Robert R. Jones, Edison State College Lee Campus President. “For perspective students, it’s one of the first stops on a college campus tour, and even more importantly, today, it is where students can assess the technical capability of a college when it comes to learning in a digital world. Without a doubt, Rush Library is destined to become the heart of our Campus and a point of pride for every Edison State student.”

Rush Library is more than a learning resource for research and a place to meet friends to study. Once inside the contemporary, avant garde building, students have the opportunity to experience art and history first-hand through gallery exhibits and artwork displayed throughout the building. The first floor of the library is home to two exhibit galleries designed for special collections.

For the opening on January 29th, a unique exhibit of Chinese and Japanese porcelain was on display, donated by the George and Mary Jo Sanders Foundation, along with an architectural exhibit on famed Italian architect Andrea Palladio and a collection of 16th and 17th century Italian art on loan from the collections of Dr. Richard H. and Julia Rush.

Rush Library is named after benefactors and long-time friends of Edison State College, Dr. Richard H. and Julia Rush of North Fort Myers. Avid collectors of art and antiques, as well as passionate advocates of access to higher education, Dr. and Mrs. Rush’s recent gift to the school will endow library resources and student scholarships for generations to come.

Edison State College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees and certificates. Nearly 13,000 credit seeking students are served annually through full service campuses in Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, and Naples, outreach centers in LaBelle and Clewiston and through Edison Online.

Additional information may be obtained through the college website, www.edison.edu.