In commemoration of the reopening of the Marriott Library, former first lady Laura Bush will provide the keynote address at the ceremony.
Bush, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in library science, advocated literacy programs worldwide during her time in the White House as the wife of former President George W. Bush.
The library’s renovation began four years ago at the cost of $79 million, which included the installment of the Automated Retrieval Center, which gathers any of the more than 3 million items within minutes using robots.
The library, which was built in 1968, also underwent the renovation to make it more structurally sound in the event of an earthquake and to increase interior space.
A high-profile person such as Bush coming to the U campus has meant organizers are taking special measures to accommodate her.
“Her staff has been really specific about how they want us to describe her,” said Mary Ross, the organizer of Bush’s visit to the library. “They don’t want us to call her the former first lady, but rather, Mrs. Bush.”
The event will be held Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the Marriott Library.