Edward Waters University will use a $500,000 grant from the National Park Service to restore the windows in Centennial Hall, the university’s main library.
“This award from the National Park Service will allow Edward Waters to further its mission of student access and opportunity as we work to transform the university library and make it a hub for exploration, collaboration and innovation while honoring the history and traditions of the structure,” said EWU President A. Zachary Faison Jr. in a news release.
Built in 1916, it was named Centennial Hall in 1966 to commemorate the institution’s 100th anniversary. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and renovated in 1979.
The library contains nearly 13,000 print volumes and provides access to more than 250,000 electronic books and 60 print periodicals. It is a member of the American Library Association, the HBCU Library Alliance and the Northeast Florida Library Information Network.
The grant is part of $9.7 million awarded to Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 10 states for the preservation of historic facilities on campus through the federal Historic Preservation Fund.