After sitting vacant since it closed in 2016, the Butler Library is set to reopen in 2027 as an event and gathering space for the St. Charles and Lindenwood communities, with the Centennial Celebration to be celebrated in 2029.
Heavy construction is set to begin in the summer of 2026, with some construction of the lower levels of the building already underway.
When you first enter Butler Library, there are a few steps before you enter the main space and approach the front desk. To the right, is the main event hall and area that will be used for various alumni events as well as weddings. The space to the left will be used for students as a multi-purpose gathering space.
The space will hold “Elegant Event Hall”, where a professional catering kitchen, bridal suites, and other spaces will be used for the St. Charles community. And for the Lindenwood community, there will be spaces for students to gather and study.
Some of the new spaces for students will include collaboration spaces, classrooms, coffee shops, and an innovation lab. The building will be used as a multi-purpose hub for the community.
Before Butler Library closed in 2016, it was known as “the heart of the campus.” Students would gather for late nights, to cram for finals, and find a comfy spot to simply sit and think or to study. The library has a cozy atmosphere that Campus Archivist Paul Huffman said reminded many students of Hogwarts.
The Chairperson of the Butler Library Revival Committee and Director of Alumni Relations, Dr. Jennifer Edler says that “this is an Alumni Outreach Project to bring the historic building back in function for the LU community as well as the St. Charles Community.”
Dr. Edler says that the library has a unique character and architectural design that is difficult to find within the St. Charles and St. Louis region.
The renovation of the building will preserve the Tudor gothic architecture, original chandeliers, historical details and honor the building’s heritage while adding modern amenities.
The library has been vacant since it closed in 2016 until now. According to Dr. Edler there was no established timeline to renovate the building, and that it depended on multiple factors such as funding, construction, and campus priorities. As a campus master plan was developed, the future plans for Butler Library developed as well.
To keep the building intact over the years, from 2019 through the early 2020’s, the library and other buildings on the historic side of campus were taken off of the steam heat and were provided with HVAC systems.
“The timing is just significant. We want to ensure that the historic landmark continues to elevate Lindenwood for generations to come. Strengthening our campus, deepening our alumni connections and enriching St. Charles County,” Edler says.
Butler Library was built in 1929 in honor of Margaret Leggat Butler after her and her husband, Colonel James Gay Butler’s contributions to the University. The Butlers donated approximately $3.5 million from their wills to Lindenwood, which equals around $63 million today. The Butlers are the largest benefactors in Lindenwood’s history and are the reason the college became a 4-year institute.
The Butler’s contributions also led to the construction of many of the major buildings on campus like Ayres Hall and Butler Hall. Butler Hall was named in honor of Colonel Butler, and Butler Library in honor of Margaret Butler.
Butler Library was not the first building named after Margaret Butler, though.
From 1915 to 1928, Margaret Hall stood in an area near where the Memorial Arts Building is today. The building was Lindenwood’s Conservatory of Music, holding a chapter room for Music Fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon as well as classrooms.
Margaret Hall burned down before the Butler Library was ever completed. On Sept. 25, 1928, two teachers on their break noticed that Margaret Hall was on fire. The fire destroyed the upper floor and severely damaged the lower rooms, causing $15,000 in damage (equivalent to over $220,000 today) but resulted in no injuries or deaths.
The library revival campaign has a goal of $2.2 million and has currently hit the halfway point with $1.1 million raised. “I have a fabulous committee of Alumni who are working really hard to reach out to other alumni and classmates, and those in the community to help us raise the final funds and close that gap so that we can open this building,” Edler says.
“We are proud of this campus. And we are excited for this transformation.” Elder said.
