As of 2016, the CSUEB library is still number five on the CSU Seismic Priority List, a list of buildings that are to be seismically retrofit. The university has plans to replace the building with the Collaborative Opportunities in Research and Engagement (CORE). The university was given a budget of $82 million, according to the director of Planning, Design and Construction, Daniel No.

When asked about upgrading the current library, CSUEB provost and vice president of Academic Affairs Edward Inch told The Pioneer, “Upgrading the building to meet student and university needs is cost prohibitive and beyond the $82m—just the seismic retrofit of the building without service or space upgrades would use the available resources.” The new building will also provide more space for students.

In the 2016-17 academic year, the current library, sitting at 48,750 square feet, had 1.24 million visits, according the CSUEB dean of libraries, John Wenzler. The CORE building will be 55,090 square feet, a 13 percent increase, and the number of seats for students to study will see a 62 percent increase from 1156 to 1870, according to Inch.

The new library will be built where the portable offices are now, and when asked where those in the portable offices will go Wenzler said, “Many of the IT staff who were in the old trailers will, I believe, be relocated to the Library annex.”

The campus is responsible for 10 percent of the total funding for the project, according to a May 2017 article by The Pioneer. The source of the funding has not yet been confirmed, according to No. Although the source has not been confirmed the Rising in the East campaign is continuing with this 10 percent funding goal as one of its top priorities, according to Inch.

Currently, the university is working with architects and designers to prepare the plans. Phase one, consisting of the “what and how” involved surveys of students, faculty and community members. This phase was completed last year.

Phase two focused on the “where” of the project and “worked to align the priorities developed in the first phase with the available space and budget,” said Inch.

The current step being taken in development of the CORE building is design, focusing on developing the plans for the building. To move forward, the design needs to be completed and approved by the system board of trustees.

In order to make the CORE building as much of a modern library as possible with the most up-to-date technology, CSUEB hired Anderson Brule Architects (ABA) to help envision and design the new building. After several surveys and focus groups were conducted last spring, the university decided the building will focus on four themes: Social Justice, Diversity and Sustainability; Collaboration & Engagement; Innovation, Learning & Technology; and Primary Library Services, according to Wenzler.