“Students didn’t enjoy going to it,” Annette Vadnais, known as the “purple hair librarian,” said about the W.E.B Du Bois Library during her time as a student in the 1990s. Nobody thought about the library beyond studying, she added. Now, Vadnais hears all the time that the library is students’ favorite place on campus. The whole building, she said, is now a lively, dynamic, and community-building space that brings people together. 

These photos aim to capture this liveliness Vadnais described. Each image explores the people and features at the library, and were taken in October and November 2025. RECESS, located on the second floor of the library, is prominently featured– from crafting and trivia to ping-pong, foosball, Legos, and the tabletop RPG club. The library staff also play an important role in making the space so comfortable for students. For example, Sue Dreyer, known as the “UMass squirrel lady,” decorates her office with dragon and squirrel trinkets to foster a welcoming environment. 

Further, the Digital Media Lab in the basement offers students different ways to engage with technology, including 3D printing and virtual reality. The archives, stored on the 25th floor, hold documents and photos of the library throughout the years, two of which are highlighted. The album also captures the more hidden aspects of the library, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles statue on the 21st floor and the “Silly to Strange” whiteboard in the basement. 

Although the library is still a place for studying and checking out books, it has transformed into so much more, filled with liveliness, community, and a wide range of unique features.