Leddy Library’s newest space is now open to the campus community. Made possible through a $1.2-million investment from the Graduate Student Society, the Study Commons expands and enhances the range of study environments available within Leddy Library.
During an opening ceremony on September 8, 2026, GSS president Dora Stolkova shared “Over the years, Leddy has supported generations of academics, professionals and the greater campus community. And like any well-loved space, it was time for a glow-up — a beautiful glow-up.” The GSS president also shared that some of her most fond memories as a student have been at Leddy Library.
Located on the main floor of Leddy Library’s west building, the new Graduate Student Society (GSS) Study Commons transforms one of the Library’s most prominent spaces into a bright and welcoming environment for individual and collaborative work. The space includes individual study areas, group study pods, desks and tables, along with flexible areas for presentations, gatherings, and collaborative work. Students can choose from spaces that support focused independent study to areas designed for conversation and working together.
The Commons also incorporates artwork by Indigenous artist Krystal Bigsky, a fourth-year student in the School of Creative Arts. “I was asked to create something to symbolize something from this territory that is sacred to the Indigenous people here, and I chose the strawberry and its flower. It signifies the heart and the connection to Earth. The space feels like a connection with the representation of inclusion,” Bigsky said. This artwork reflects one of the most striking features of the Commons is its connection to the outdoors. Full-length windows bring abundant natural light into the space and offer expansive views toward the riverfront, creating an open and inviting environment in which to read, write, meet, study, or simply spend time between classes.
“Libraries are simultaneously places, collections, services, technologies, expertise and communities,” said University Librarian and Dean of the University Library Selinda Berg during the opening celebration. “What ultimately makes these things meaningful is what people learn, discover and create through them.”
For Leddy Library, the investment is particularly meaningful because it was initiated by students themselves. Reflecting on the earliest conversations about the project, Berg noted that the proposal represented more than a renovation. “What I heard that day was students — the very people who are at the heart of our services and spaces — saying that the library matters to them,” she said. That investment will benefit far more than the current generation of students.
With thousands of people entering Leddy Library on busy days, the new Commons will become part of the everyday academic life of the University. The GSS study commons will be where a graduate student finishes a dissertation chapter, where a group works through a difficult assignment together, where an undergraduate prepares for an exam, or where someone simply finds a sunny table overlooking the river and settles in to work.
“These spaces become the backdrop to thousands of individual moments,” Berg said. “And those moments matter.”
The September 8 ribbon cutting provided an opportunity to recognize the Graduate Student Society, the many people who contributed to the project, and the students whose vision and investment made the transformation possible.
(With content from Lindsay Charlton, University of Public Affairs and Communications: https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-09-09/new-gss-study-commons-gives-students-more-space-leddy-library-0
During an opening ceremony on September 8, 2026, GSS president Dora Stolkova shared “Over the years, Leddy has supported generations of academics, professionals and the greater campus community. And like any well-loved space, it was time for a glow-up — a beautiful glow-up.” The GSS president also shared that some of her most fond memories as a student have been at Leddy Library.
Located on the main floor of Leddy Library’s west building, the new Graduate Student Society (GSS) Study Commons transforms one of the Library’s most prominent spaces into a bright and welcoming environment for individual and collaborative work. The space includes individual study areas, group study pods, desks and tables, along with flexible areas for presentations, gatherings, and collaborative work. Students can choose from spaces that support focused independent study to areas designed for conversation and working together.
The Commons also incorporates artwork by Indigenous artist Krystal Bigsky, a fourth-year student in the School of Creative Arts. “I was asked to create something to symbolize something from this territory that is sacred to the Indigenous people here, and I chose the strawberry and its flower. It signifies the heart and the connection to Earth. The space feels like a connection with the representation of inclusion,” Bigsky said. This artwork reflects one of the most striking features of the Commons is its connection to the outdoors. Full-length windows bring abundant natural light into the space and offer expansive views toward the riverfront, creating an open and inviting environment in which to read, write, meet, study, or simply spend time between classes.
“Libraries are simultaneously places, collections, services, technologies, expertise and communities,” said University Librarian and Dean of the University Library Selinda Berg during the opening celebration. “What ultimately makes these things meaningful is what people learn, discover and create through them.”
For Leddy Library, the investment is particularly meaningful because it was initiated by students themselves. Reflecting on the earliest conversations about the project, Berg noted that the proposal represented more than a renovation. “What I heard that day was students — the very people who are at the heart of our services and spaces — saying that the library matters to them,” she said. That investment will benefit far more than the current generation of students.
With thousands of people entering Leddy Library on busy days, the new Commons will become part of the everyday academic life of the University. The GSS study commons will be where a graduate student finishes a dissertation chapter, where a group works through a difficult assignment together, where an undergraduate prepares for an exam, or where someone simply finds a sunny table overlooking the river and settles in to work.
“These spaces become the backdrop to thousands of individual moments,” Berg said. “And those moments matter.”
The September 8 ribbon cutting provided an opportunity to recognize the Graduate Student Society, the many people who contributed to the project, and the students whose vision and investment made the transformation possible.
(With content from Lindsay Charlton, University of Public Affairs and Communications: https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-09-09/new-gss-study-commons-gives-students-more-space-leddy-library-0
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