Portland State University's exterior viewed from the fourth floor on Sept. 19, 2024. The library recently reopened spending months repairing the impacts of a four-day protest.
Troy Brynelson / OPB
The windows are fixed. The graffiti has been painted over. The political debates still rage, but Portland State University officials say they’re glad the library is once again open to the public.
University officials this week reopened the Branford Price Millar Library for the first time in nearly five months, weeks ahead of thousands of students returning to campus for fall term.
Repairs cost the university $1.23 million, spokesperson Katy Swordfisk said during a walking tour with reporters Thursday. That included things like painting, restoring windows and fixtures, and buying equipment that was damaged during the four-day occupation last spring by demonstrators protesting attacks in Gaza.
“It was a pretty big shock,” said Michael Bowman, an associate dean, describing his first return to the library in the days following the protest. On his second return, he said, construction crews had begun cleaning and making repairs.
“The difference in terms of what the contractor had done over a weekend is kind of what made me realize that we would be able to clean our way out of the issue,” Bowman said.
Related: Two PSU students sue university over protest participation
The library officially reopened Sept. 16. Staff said they have been relieved to see it return to form. Eleven students had been waiting to enter on its first day, Bowman said.
“They’re so glad to be back,” said Rose Bosely, the library’s access services manager. “I’m actually hearing from a lot of students who haven’t been at all before — and they’re really excited to see the library for the first time.”
It remains unclear how much of the repairs will be covered by insurance. Officials said that will be its own process. They’re also still finding remnants of the event.
“This is a big building. It’s five floors and it’s a little maze-like,” said Cris Paschild, an associate dean. “So we are sort of resigned to continue finding just all these little things that we’ll need to fix up and address over time.”
Protesters took over the building in late April, following several smaller demonstrations on the city of Portland’s South Park Blocks near the library.
Eventually, protesters broke in and commandeered the library. They barricaded the entrance with wooden pallets and trash cans, as well as various furniture, like desks and chairs. Blue tarps covered windows.
Nearly every wall and window on the first two floors of the library was tagged with spray paint or permanent marker, with slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Disarm PSU.” They took to renaming the library after Palestinian writer and professor Refaat Alareer, who died during an airstrike in Gaza.
FILE - Graffiti like "Disarm PSU" are sprayed on walls inside the occupied Branford Price Millar Library at Portland State University, April 30, 2024.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The library occupation lasted four days and became a hub for student protesters and community organizers. They criticized the university’s ties with Boeing, the Washington-based aerospace company whose weapons Israel has deployed in their military incursions. President Ann Cudd eventually agreed to pause its relationship with Boeing and reexamine the university’s financial investments.
When the occupation of the university library ended, PSU staff found that most of the library’s books, including its coveted special collection, were untouched. But there was extensive damage to the library’s interior and exterior walls, doors, windows, fire alarm system, furniture and electronics.
Related: Portland State University protests: What to know about the activity on campus
As the library reopens, university officials said they haven’t made any security upgrades or changed any policies.
“They came in by breaking a window when we were closed,” Bowman said. “So policies about what we’re doing when we’re open is probably not going to be helpful.”
When asked if they were worried about another demonstration or occupation in the future, Xan Arch, the dean of the library, said their concerns weren’t any more heightened than the rest of campus.
“I think all of campus is thinking about this, not just the library,” Arch said. “We’re really looking to the campus resources we have. There’s a lot of good resources that campus is thinking about and we plan to take advantage of those as well.”
