Original Source: Cal Poly
Reporter: Robyn Kontra Tanner
Date: January 8, 2026
Link: https://www.calpoly.edu/news/light-spacious-and-bustling-take-look-inside-refreshed-kennedy-library
After a two-year closure, the refreshed Robert E. Kennedy Library — the largest library between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz — has reopened its doors and assumed its rightful spot as a hub of campus life.
The space reopened in September 2025 after its first major remodel since it originally debuted in January of 1981. The $78-million renovation improved accessibility, added classroom space, upgraded heating and cooling systems and expanded the on-site cafe — all while saving energy.
The reimagined first floor holds two exhibit spaces for art and historical artifacts from Kennedy Library’s Special Collections and Archives, the expanded Julian’s Café and a redesigned courtyard. Hub24, the university’s 24-hour study space, grew to include the library’s first and second floors when the facility reopened.
At the main entrance, visitors are greeted by a vibrant work of art. The acrylic mural, titled “Grounds for Growth,” is the creation of artists Joshua Lawyer and MJ Lindo-Lawyer, known as Rough Edge Collective.