Axinn Center at Starr Library

Axinn Center at Starr Library is a central academic and library facility at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. Opened in 2004, the building was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern and serves as the primary home for the college's English and American studies departments. It consolidates the historic Starr Library collection with modern classrooms, faculty offices, and collaborative spaces, forming a hub for humanities scholarship and undergraduate research on the campus.

History

The facility's creation was driven by a significant gift from the Axinn family, prominent philanthropists and alumni of Middlebury College, to address the growing needs of the humanities division. Planning commenced in the late 1990s under the leadership of then-president John M. McCardell Jr., with the project aiming to renovate and expand the existing Starr Library, a Neoclassical building originally constructed in 1900. The design by Robert A.M. Stern, known for his work on the Spangler Campus Center at Harvard Business School and commissions for The Walt Disney Company, was selected to harmonize with the collegiate Georgian style prevalent across the Middlebury College campus. The completed Axinn Center at Starr Library was dedicated in a 2004 ceremony attended by donors, faculty including noted scholars like Jay Parini, and representatives from the New England Library Association.

Architecture and facilities

Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the structure is a deliberate fusion of traditional and contemporary academic architecture, featuring red brick, limestone detailing, and a symmetrical facade consistent with the Middlebury College master plan. The interior centers around a grand, multi-story atrium that floods the space with natural light and serves as a primary gathering area. Key facilities include the Starr Library reading room, which preserves original woodwork and dedicated carrels, alongside numerous technologically equipped seminar rooms named for benefactors like the Olin Foundation. The building also houses the New England Review offices, a dedicated American studies research lab, and the Middlebury College Writing Center, providing resources paralleling those at institutions like the University of Chicago's Regenstein Library.

Academic programs and departments

The center is the administrative and instructional home for the English and American studies departments at Middlebury College. Faculty members, including recipients of awards like the Guggenheim Fellowship and the National Book Award, such as poet Julia Alvarez, maintain offices and teach courses within the building. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, with courses often cross-listed with programs in History, Film and Media Culture, and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies. The facility supports flagship programs like the Middlebury College Creative Writing major and hosts annual lectures such as the Axinn Foundation-sponsored Starr Lecture Series, which has featured speakers like author Zadie Smith and historian Jill Lepore.

Starr Library collection

The integrated Starr Library collection specializes in English literature, American literature, and supporting fields within the humanities. Its holdings include significant special collections, such as the Robert Frost archives, containing first editions and manuscripts of the poet who had long associations with Vermont and Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English. The collection also features the papers of Middlebury College alumnus and playwright Romulus Linney, as well as a substantial assemblage of Victorian literature. These resources support undergraduate theses and faculty research, with the library participating in consortial lending networks like the Boston Library Consortium and the OCLC system to provide access to broader scholarly materials.

Role in campus life

Beyond its academic functions, the center is a vital social and intellectual nexus for the Middlebury College community. The atrium and adjacent Wilson Café are popular study and meeting spots for students from all disciplines, including those from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. It regularly hosts public events open to the town of Middlebury, such as readings by Ploughshares contributors, debates sponsored by the Rohatyn Center for Global Affairs, and exhibitions curated by the Middlebury College Museum of Art. The building's design and programming actively foster interdisciplinary dialogue, making it a central venue for campus traditions like First-Year Seminar discussions and events during Homecoming Weekend, reinforcing its role as a cornerstone of the liberal arts experience at Middlebury College.

Category:Middlebury College Category:Libraries in Vermont Category:Robert A.M. Stern buildings Category:Buildings and structures in Addison County, Vermont