University dedicates new library plaza

University dedicates new library plaza: "The OSU community honored Beverly Clerico, a late alumna, Saturday morning with the dedication of the newly renovated library plaza bearing her name.

Speakers included Sheila Grant Johnson, dean of libraries; Marlene Strathe, senior vice president and university provost; Lou Watkins, Board of Regents for Oklahoma A&M Colleges; L.E. “Dean” Stringer, president of the Friends of the OSU Library; Kirk Jewell, president and chief executive officer of the OSU Foundation; and John Clerico, OSU alumnus and husband of Beverly Clerico.

A large crowd attended the ceremony despite the cloudy weather.

“It was a wonderful turnout of alumni, friends and supporters. It couldn’t be a better orange-letter day,” Johnson said.

Clerico donated $500,000 for the renovation of the Edmon Low Library plaza in the name of his wife.

The newly renovated plaza, “exemplifies the spirit of a wonderful, wonderful woman. She loved students and believed in hard-work, success and people making something of themselves,” Watkins said.

Students will not notice a drastic change in the appearance of the plaza.

The library should still “look very familiar because it was reconstructed, not redesigned,” Johnson said.

The library serves a very important role at Oklahoma State University.

The “library is the most visible and cherished academic symbol at OSU,” Strathe said. "