Collaborating with the University's Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Rutgers University Libraries created a large OIT computer lab in the front section of the Kilmer Library. Finished over spring break in March 2012, the new computer lab offers 45 computers for student use and is situated close to the Library's reference desk, allowing students easy access to trained librarians who can offer assistance with online research. The Libraries and OIT invested approximately $200,000 in this renovation and it has proven to be a sound investment, as the lab has already become a regular hub of activity in the library.

Students looking for a place to study individually, without the ambiance of the computer lab or the group study tables on the first floor, can now make use of the dozens of one-person student carrels that line the periphery of the second floor and are also positioned between book stacks and in the mid-floor area. Altogether, there are 209 carrels available for use. A mid-afternoon visit to the library, weeks before spring semester finals, found most of the carrels already occupied.

People studying or working at Rutgers enjoy reading for pleasure and the Library has acquired the resources to support this healthy habit. First established one year ago, the Recreational Reading collection has steadily grown and now features over 300 publications by well known authors like Stephen King, James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Jodi Picoult, Kristen Hannah, John Grisham, Debbie Macomber, Ken Follet, David Baldacci, Patricia Cromwell, Tom Clancy, Philippa Gregory and more. The collection is located in bookshelves behind the first floor reference desk, allowing a quick review of titles and easy access. Users can browse the Recreational Reading collection online.

A whimsical sculpture, by a noted artist, now greets visitors as they approach the library. Sitting in the grassy area near the front entrance, the larger-than-life-sized sculpture of Don Quixote was a recent generous gift to Rutgers by Katya and Igor Gomberg of Moscow. The sculpture is by well-know Russian sculptor N.A. Silis and was created in 1997.

Following the successes of the Libraries' trial Netbook loan service at the Alexander and Art libraries in the 2010/2011 academic year, the Kilmer implemented the service in fall 2011 and it soon became a popular offering - in the first 46 days the service was offered, Netbooks were checked out 245 times, an average of over five (5) per day.

The net effect of all the changes in the Kilmer Library has been a steady growth in use. In April the library set a new building record, with 56,512 visitors that month - a 33% increase over the number of visitors in April 2011. The library exceeded 50,000 users in a month three times this past academic year whereas previously it reached 40,000 users only once in its history (45,186 in October 2010).