Story by MAYAN PAZ Photos by ELI BLANKINSHIP Video by RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
For about two years, Fort Hays State University’s Tebo Library (formerly Forsyth) has been under construction, operating mostly online with limited in-person access. The library was long overdue for renovations, and with the help of federal grants, state funds, and local donations, the renovations were finally completed over winter break.
Many donors contributed to the library’s renovation to fill the funding gap for the project. The most generous donation was a seven-figure gift from the Stephen and Tatiana Tebo family, which also bestowed the library with its new name, Tebo Library, and pushed its completion over the edge.
Tebo Library’s soft opening took place on Tuesday, January 20th, the first day of the Spring 2026 semester. 
The newly remodeled library features a small coffee spot that also sells snacks to students who need some extra fuel while studying. 
The library offers a large variety of spots to study including this area that has TVs. 
The remodel also included the addition of study rooms such as the one in the photo. 
In addition to study spaces, there are also office spaces for faculty to work. 
A student taking advantage of the newly remodeled space on the day of the soft opening. 
Much of the Tebo library doesn’t have books in it yet as things are slowly being pulled out of storage. 
The remodel also added newly updated computer stations for students to utilize. 
Two students chat while studying in comfy chairs. 
The Tebo Library is also the new home of the FHSU Makerspace. 
Part of the remodel also added this hybrid staircase/study-space. 
A look at some of the new furniture in the Tebo Library. 
The new front desk inside the entrance of the library. 
Balloons were set out throughout the library to mark its soft opening. 
One of many new books added to the Tebo Library. 
A book stamped with the new Tebo Library marker stamp. 
A close-up of a light fixture in Tebo Library.
On the first day of the spring semester, Tebo Library hosted a soft opening, with the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for later this year, once final construction is complete. As of now, physical books have not yet been returned to the shelves, and some spaces are still undergoing renovations, but the building is open for students to use, with most study spaces ready.
The renovation process didn’t start with the demolition of the old building, but instead included a thorough redesign of the interior. In collaboration with the Kansas City-based architecture firm, PGAV, the team was led by the Dean of Library Services, Ginger Williams. However, planning was not limited to the administration, as students were also included in the process. In 2022, before the renovation, Williams conducted student polls to gather their input on what they would like to see in the new facility.
Williams said that the students’ input was extremely valuable to her and provided more guidance to the design process. She said students said they wanted more vertical height and natural light.
“I love how it turned out. We were focused on things like making the lower level feel less like a basement, making it less creepy, more open. We were trying to introduce a little more height. The ceilings down here were awfully low before there were even some spots where I would have hit my head if I tried walking,” Williams said. “So this is a way to carry light all throughout the building. You’ll also see a lot of large windows across from each other, so you get views north to south and east to west.”
Walking through the building, the difference from the old structure is apparent. With a new, unique design, the building now offers many private study spots, as well as larger work areas and group study rooms. There are about 15 study rooms in the building, and some also include whiteboards, which made some students very happy.
Colson Browning, a senior majoring in chemistry, said he already plans to use the study rooms.
“As a STEM major, we’re writing all the time, we’re drawing chemical structures, we’re studying for exams, and things like that,” Browning said. “But I think, for anybody, just writing stuff out is super helpful for kind of keeping information. So I think that’s an area that’s going to be super cool.”
Browning and many other students entered the new building on the first day of the soft opening, exploring the new amenities and studying. Students are already finding their favorite spots in the new library, where they can distance themselves from the everyday life of campus and focus on their assignments.
This was a dream scenario for Williams, as she enjoyed watching the students use the space as soon as they had the chance.
“We’re thrilled to see the response from students. It’s been really heartwarming. I’ve seen some happy tears today because we’ve missed having our own building and having students around,” she said. “And so it’s really nice to see how many students have come in, even on the first day of classes. I don’t know that most of these students have any homework yet, but they’re still coming in to check it out, and it’s really wonderful to see.”
Some of the accommodations the library offers are lending electronic equipment to students from the new welcome desk on the main level, a writing center with tutors available for students to use, and a new feature: a concession stand offering coffee, tea, soft drinks, and snacks. This concession stand will be open until 2 p.m. on weekdays, and students are welcome to use their dining dollars for purchases.
The library will also host a few departments around the university, including the Honors College offices, which will return from Picken Hall to the Library shortly, and the Institute for New Media Studies. A new Makerspace will also be available to students, in addition to the other study rooms in the library.
Helena Gardner, a freshman student working at the welcome desk, said that she is excited to see so many students browsing around the building, and said she has already started utilizing the space for studying. She also commented that the new design helps the library attract students.
“I think that the whole open concept idea is a lot nicer, and it feels a lot more natural, and I can definitely tell that people are liking it a lot more,” Gardner said.
Williams said Tebo Library also has an e-book collection of almost 1 million books and a physical book collection of about 200,000 books. Williams said the library will also try a new shelving arrangement to make it easier for students to find books. Unlike the old building, when books were only located on two floors, all floors will feature the FHSU collection. Right next to the welcome desk at the main level, students can find books starting with A, and, following alphabetical order, they will be placed on the shelves of the main and second floors. On the lower level, students will find items such as government documents and books that still need to be referenced by library staff.
Williams also said that the Tebo Library will collaborate with other campus departments to host events and be a central part of the FHSU experience. In the meantime, she said she is enjoying seeing so many students excited about the new building, which is fulfilling her vision of the library’s role in students’ lives.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of collaborations between the Tebo Library and other campus units when we do events together here, and I think people are excited to use the space, and we’re excited to have them,” Williams said.