After years of planning and politicking for a solution to its cramped library, UVSC broke ground on a new high-tech digital learning center Wednesday.

Students will be paired with technology in a 190,000-square-foot building that is central not only to plans to develop the north part of campus, but also to Utah Valley State College's aspirations of becoming a university.

The library is one of eight goals laid out by Utah's higher education commissioner Richard Kendall last fall that UVSC must work toward to become UVSU.

"It's going to be a phenomenal institutional facility here on campus, and students for years to come will appreciate the building," President Bill Sederburg said at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Layton Construction will build the library as part of a design/build relationship with architect Jacob Alspector.

The digital learning center is scheduled to open in fall 2008, and Layton Construction president David Layton promised the building on time and on budget. The library will offer 40 group study rooms, 100 public computers, expanded collections, a café and an extended hours area. UVSC's Board of Trustees chairman Dan Campbell said the library's construction will be a milestone in UVSC's history.

"The building of this library is going to be viewed as a critical juncture," he said, and it will bring new resources to UVSC to serve the 40,000 students who are expected to be enrolled there in 10 to 15 years.

Student body president Andrew Stone said when the building opens, students will no longer migrate to Brigham Young University's library.

"Now with an addition of an incredible library, an incredible facility such as this, students aren't going to need to commute to somewhere else to do their studying," he said.

The building will match the mission of UVSC, said Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. "All learning starts at the library. It's the center for us to study and learn and prepare for our degrees, and respond to life's challenges."

The state Legislature pledged $45.75 million for the building in its regular session earlier this year. Now UVSC needs $3 million to fund the rest of the project and furnish the library.

The fundraising effort got a boost on Wednesday when UVSC Foundation vice president Nadine Gilmor pledged $500,000 and challenged others to work together to match her pledge. Another foundation member responded with an anonymous pledge of $50,000 at a reception before the groundbreaking.

Steven Hall, who's leading the college's efforts to raise the money, said UVSC is working to get the word out about the benefits the building will bring to the community. Part of the fundraising efforts will include an opportunity to buy a library card, and naming rights to the building and to individual rooms also are available.

"It's time for people in the community to own their own students' education, for their children and grandchildren's future, and this is a great way to do it," he said.

Anna Chang-Yen can be reached at 344-2549 or annac@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B12.