Joe Agati, Sr. and Joe Agati, Jr. recently attended the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Diego. This conference is one of our favorite events each year! It’s always an honor to connect with those in this line of work, gaining valuable insight into ways we can continue serving library spaces.
During the conference, Joe Agati, Jr. participated in an Academic Library and Learning Spaces Tour, visiting innovative academic libraries and flexible learning spaces like UC San Diego’s Geisel Library, Design and Innovation Building, and the Halicioglu Data Science Institute (HDSI), as well as University of San Diego’s Copley Library.
It was exciting to see the Copley Library on this tour, as we have had the opportunity to be part of furnishing this space back in 2011 and they returned to Agati during their redesign in 2022.
Our work with the Copley Library over the years is a testament to the value of investing in durable, solution-driven, aesthetically-timeless furniture. In fact, the original DePaul Chairs and Tables and Keystone Lounge Chairs were still in great shape. With their timeless design and continued durability, Copley can continue to use them for more years to come.
When Copley expanded, they returned to Agati with confidence in our ability to deliver exceptional quality and service, adding more DePaul Chairs and Tables and Keystone Lounge Chairs to their collection, which were perfect for their reading rooms and collaborative spaces. The library was featured in the ALA Academic Library and Learning Spaces Tour as a result of how well-rounded and successful it is.
Take a look at their recent renovation in this video:
In the video, you see our POD Single, Hampton Nook, Keystone Lounge Chairs, and DePaul Tables and Chairs on the first floor as the narrator describes a “well lit and inviting collaborative space for students that encourages active learning and group projects”. You also see our DePaul Tables and Chairs in the new Copley Lounge, Journals Reading Room, and Faculty Reading Room.
Copley Library Transformation
In 2011, we provided furniture for the Copley Library that was not only durable and functional, but also supported the study preferences and styles of the time. This included our Keystone Lounge Chair and DePaul Collection (specifically our DePaul Chairs, Tables, and Carrels).
When they had the opportunity to remodel in 2022, they came back to us. Our team worked closely with Pfeiffer, now joined with Perkins Eastman, to understand Copley Library’s needs and to provide tailored solutions. Working with their firm was an honor, and the detailed design thinking they brought to the project as a whole was inspiring and effective.
For their first floor, Copley wanted an inviting collaborative space for students with no noise level requirement. With our updated product lineup, our Pod and Hampton Nook were perfect solutions for that kind of space. (See more Agati collaborative furniture options here.)
Seeing that the DePaul Chairs and Tables and Keystone Lounge Chairs were still in great shape from 2011, they purchased more for their collection. Alongside the addition of our Prairie Stool, the transitional style solidified their aesthetic appeal yesterday, today, and into the future.
The same was true of the Keystone Lounge Chairs with wood armcaps originally installed in 2011. Seeing their success and durability over the past decade, they added more Keystone Lounge Chairs to their collection during the expansion. Both of these collections were perfect for their reading rooms and collaborative spaces.
The ability to use furniture for over a decade is sustainability in action. Investing in resources that are built to last under heavy usage is responsible both fiscally and environmentally. It’s encouraging to see the Copley Library confidently invest in new furniture pieces that will show the same level of durability.
We are honored to be the go-to choice for such prominent furniture pieces in University of San Diego’s Copley Library. We firmly believe that you shouldn’t have to sacrifice design for durability when you invest in furniture for your high-traffic environment, and Copley Library’s return to Agati is a sign of the durability, quality, and value our furniture has provided in their space.
Want to see the full Copley Library installation? Take a look here.
Interested in talking about furniture for your space? Get in touch.
