Jane Bergman, office manager for the Department of Mathematics, has been awarded a Heritage Award from the Preservation and Conservation Association of Champaign County (PACA) for her historical replica of the glass dome that once overlooked the library in Altgeld Hall. More than a decade of work, with countless hours of painstaking research and artistry, Bergman created a replica of the old dome some 77 years after it was taken down and plastered over.

In her award notification, Phyllis Williams, secretary to the PACA Board of Directors, told Bergman, “We are in awe of your dedication to this project! Agatha Christie would be proud of your sleuthing to achieve a very well informed design. Your use of interdisciplinary resources represent the highest ideals of the University and the preservation community.” 

Bergman will receive her award at PACA’s annual Heritage Awards ceremony on Feb. 22, where she will also give a brief presentation of her project.

With design firms CannonDesign and Bailey Edward in the process of planning a renovation of Altgeld Hall for 2024, the possibility of restoring or recreating the stained glass dome is being investigated. Read more →