Pitt will host North America’s top library design conference this October

The University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS) and its newly renovated Hillman Library will get a chance to shine as it hosts this year’s Designing Libraries XIII conference Oct. 18-20.

For more than a decade, Designing Libraries has been the premier North American conference on library renovations, spaces and new programs. The event invites librarians, architects, planners, designers and information technologists to explore the achievements and challenges of designing libraries and learning spaces for the 21st century.

Hillman Library wrapped up a nine-year, floor-by-floor renovation in 2025. It transformed the brutalist 1968 book repository into a into a modern, student-centered and technology-rich hub that emphasizes open spaces and collaboration. Notable features include makerspaces like Open Lab for virtual reality and 3D printing and the Text and ConText Lab for hands-on bookmaking and printmaking, as well as expanded spaces for Archives and Special Collections and group study rooms and spaces across the building.

The renovated library also earned LEED Platinum certification, the highest possible rank in the U.S. Green Building Council’s green building rating system, which evaluates buildings on factors like energy efficiency, sustainable materials, water use and indoor environmental quality. Hillman is Pitt’s 19th LEED-certified building since 2005.

Interested in attending Designing Libraries XIII? Sign up to be notified when registration launches.