Visitors to Cornell University Library’s Olin Library often make a beeline for its café to grab a coffee or a snack with friends, or stop at the renovated information desk to ask for assistance from a librarian. These two areas are the most busy points of interaction at the library—now, they also share the same familiar name.
At a ceremony on August 12, the Amit Bhatia Information Desk was dedicated to honor its namesake for his financial support of Cornell University Library. Earlier, in 2011, the Amit Bhatia Libe Café was dedicated to recognize a gift to the library by Bhatia ’01, who was a student in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Accompanied by two of his children, Bhatia was the guest of honor at the dedication event.
In his speech, he described the library as a special place for students to mingle. “For me, the two most important things you get out of university are the social experiment of being around people and meeting wonderful people, and then it’s, of course, the learning,” he said.
Elaine L. Westbrooks, the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian, praised Bhatia for supporting library spaces that enrich the student experience through his gifts to the café and information desk.
The Amit Bhatia Information Desk, in particular, is an essential first point of contact between researchers and librarians and library resources, she said.
“This is a connection spot for our students to start their journey to becoming amazing citizens of the world,” Westbrooks said.
To cap off the dedication ceremony, Westbrooks led a toast to honor Bhatia, a founding senior partner of AyBe Capital, a firm that invests in the technology, media, real estate, sports, and healthcare sectors. Bhatia also serves on Cornell’s International Advisory Council and has made gifts to support financial aid for undergraduates, fund Global Ph.D. Fellowships in the Einaudi Center, and support experiential opportunities for students in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“Cheers to Amit and his family for their generosity and foresight to support this library and name these two amazing spaces,” Westbrooks said. “I look forward to seeing the students, the faculty, and all the people who are using this space and benefiting from your generosity.”
