Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, has started construction on an $8.5 million, 18,000-square-foot library addition for its School of Theology.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the project, an extension of the Brackett Library, will provide School of Theology students with access to one of the most extensive theology collections in the South.
Enrollment in the School of Theology rose in the fall 2024 semester, the university says. The 71 new graduate students enrolled represented a 65% increase from the previous year.
“The library will house our university’s extensive theology collection, empowering students to immerse themselves in scholarly work and fellowship,” said Harding University President Mike Williams.
The university says the School of Theology's collection will be kept intact and made available to students in open, browseable stacks on the second floor. Students will have access to multiple study spaces as well as a dedicated study room on the second floor that will be specifically reserved for School of Theology students.
Students also will have easy access to the School of Theology's extensive reference collection on the first floor.
The extension should be completed by March 2026, officials said.
