Ask U.Va. students to name the best place to study, and one answer may surprise you. A number of students will undoubtedly name the Science and Engineering Library housed in Clark Hall. Thanks to a three-year, $10 million renovation that was completed in Fall 2003, and a generous pledge from Mrs. Charles L. Brown, students have a top-notch space for research and study and the library has an endowment for its long-term success.

Built in 1932, Clark Hall was originally home to the University's Law School. The building became the Science and Engineering Library in 1975, but by the 21st century it was badly in need of improvement. In planning the renovation, "we asked the students what they wanted," said Carol R. Hunter, library director.

The library's new features reflect what students requested. A large, sky-lit reading room with ample study space, group study rooms for collaborative projects, a state-of-the-art digital classroom, and wireless access throughout are just some of the improvements.

The stacks are now fully accessible via a wide staircase and elevator, and the entire library is air-conditioned. The 1930s wood tables have been refurbished and repositioned for a laptop generation, and a working gas fireplace invites students to linger in the spacious reading room.

The library never closed its doors to patrons during construction, as good-humored staff worked amid blowtorches and jackhammers and provided hundreds of pairs of earplugs to students.

In 2004, Ann Lee Brown, widow of University alumnus and AT&T CEO and Chairman Charles L. Brown, pledged $5 million to honor her late husband with an endowment for the Science and Engineering Library. The facility was renamed the Charles L. Brown Science and Engineering Library in appreciation of her generous gift.

Mrs. Brown also gave $5 million to the Engineering School Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. It was renamed the Charles L. Brown Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in honor of Mr. Brown.