From the Friends of the Library Newsletter
The Seattle Pacific University Library building was rededicated on November 20 and given a new name — the Ames Library, named after Gary and Barbara Ames. At the ceremony President Dan Martin and Board Vice Chair Doug Backous thanked the Ameses for all they have given to Seattle Pacific.
University Librarian Michael Paulus spoke of the history and value of the Library, which has evolved dynamically over the past 123 years, and University Chaplain Bo Lim prayed that the Ames Library would be a place of access to information as well as transformation.
In the digital age a library is much more than a building, but a library building remains an important part and manifestation of what a library is for. Like a Gothic cathedral, a library building tells a story of the world that was, that is, and that is to come. Every day, students, faculty, and others actively use the Ames Library — and the information resources, technological resources, and human resources accessible through it — to interact with that story by discovering, creating, and sharing knowledge.
It is great honor to have our Library building named after Gary and Barbara Ames, who have done so much to advance the mission of Seattle Pacific and increase access to an SPU education, especially for high school graduates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.