The moment everyone had been waiting for had arrived.

Students, parents, and faculty gathered on Merritt patio on Oct. 26 to listen to opening remarks from headmaster Mr. Paul Slocombe and from the new librarian Blake Dorfman.

Mr. Slocombe thanked the two donor families whose financial support made the renovations possible: the Nylen Family and the Cappello Family.

Special guests from the class of 1957, Ned Quakenbush, Dionne Warren, and Dick Welch, who built the original Isham Library, were welcomed back to campus to share in the activities.

“The changes are unbelievable. The library has doubled in size,” said Dionne Warren.

After the speeches, the official ribbon-cutting for the Isham Library & Nylen Academic Research Center took place.

Seniors Brendon Nylen and Eddie Conk completed the honor of cutting the ribbon.

“It felt good to be a part of this momentous moment for the School,” said Eddie.

The senior class of 2013 was allowed to enter first to see the new study space that includes couches, Mac computers, Kindles, a chess table, and a state of the art coffee machine.

“I think the new library is a great addition to our School, and it is the perfect place to get work done,” said senior Courtney O’Donnell.

The new setup allows for both individual and group studying as there are cubicles with power outlets to plug in computers and other electronics for the single studier along with big tables and couches for collaborative studiers.

This new space will provide students with quickly growing academic workloads with all the resources they need to get their work done.

The community made their way through the library and explored all of the new high-tech and practical additions.

Students tried out the chess table and looked at Kindles.

Following exploration of the Academic Research Center, students enjoyed an ice cream social.

“I love the lounge areas where we can talk and hang out with friends, but at the same time, it is easy to get work done at the tables and cubicles,” said sophomore Bryn Jewett.

“I really like the new computers because I know how to use them and they are useful for schoolwork,” said freshman Phoebe Madsen.