The growth of the student body means new needs. 

Archbishop Riordan, one of the fastest growing high schools in San Francisco, is focusing on renovations that will enhance student life and learning on campus.

From plans for new and improved urban resting areas and updated restrooms, to newly furnished classrooms and a new coat of paint on the cafeteria, the Riordan administration is in full throttle to push for an improvement of student life, and with that comes the renovation of the school library. 

“The growth of the student body and the desperate need for more classroom space came with heavy decisions for the school,” said Simon Chiu, Vice President of Advancement at Riordan. “This includes the need to remodel and modernize the current library to use the space more efficiently.”

Half of the space in the current library will turn into two more classroom spaces. One for the growing digital arts program and the other as an extra classroom. Furthermore, the library will transform to a study space/library hybrid that includes more movable and comfortable furniture, charging stations, and a section for library books with a special portion of the library being filled with Riordan and Mercy High School history and memorabilia. 

“It sounds like it would create a very comfortable atmosphere for us students,” said Nicolas Gawle ’24. “I am really excited and looking forward to this next year.”

As of press time, the current library staff has been slowly preparing for the end of the year closure. Shelves are being emptied, books donated or stored for next year, and the era of the current library that was used by generations of Riordan students is slowly coming to an end. 

As Jeffrey Ramirez, Assistant Director of Facilities said, “Riordan is constantly upgrading and always trying to improve the high school year after year… I guess it’s our drive for constant never ending improvement.”