As was common in the early 1900s, Carnegie Library was built with closed stacks where books were retrieved by library pages. In 1965, the stacks were opened to browsing, and renovations were made in 1972 to accommodate the mathematics department and science library.

The renovations of the historic building include the relocation and consolidation of faculty offices, collaborative work spaces, classrooms, seminar rooms, and a complete renovation and expansion of the toilet facilities throughout the building. In addition, design and documents were completed for the next phase, which will restore the historic, self-supporting, glass-floored book stacks behind the main circulation desk. The project moves student-centric spaces to the lower floors and faculty and tutoring spaces to the upper floors, completing the multi-phase rehabilitation of a magnificent structure back to its former glory.