Eastern Oklahoma State College hosted an open house event for the newly-renovated Bill H. Hill Library on Tuesday.

The renovation, which was completed late last fall, was funded by a $1.5 million Native American Serving Non-tribal Institutions grant. Updates to the facility include small study rooms for students, a larger student meeting space, tutoring services, a test proctoring lab, open collaboration space/coffee station and a cultural engagement lab that houses Native American art and artifacts.

“The new library serves the needs of today’s students,” said Dr. Karen Harrison, NASNTI Project Director. “On average, one hundred students a day are visiting the library, the study rooms are in demand, and students enrolled in a new Native American Humanities course made use of the Cultural Lab and its resources.”

More than 60 people attended the open house, including Choctaw Councilwoman Jennifer Woods.

“If you have not had the opportunity to visit the new library renovation and the cultural lab at EOSC, please make plans,” Woods said. “The Cultural lab has Native American art and artifacts. We are so excited to share pictures of our Choctaw chiefs. Yakoke to all who worked tirelessly to provide this display of Native American artwork.”

Some of the artists featured in the cultural lab include Anita Caldwell Jackson, Bruce Darrell and Merlin Little Thunder, all of whom are Eastern alumni.

The library is open to Eastern students and employees Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.