Chronology of Notre Dame Libraries
The Collegiate Years, 1842-1916
1842
- The University of Notre Dame du Lac founded.
1869
- Mention of a "college library" with 7,000 volumes.
1873
- A central circulating library for students established in the Main
Building at the initiative of the President, the Rev. Augustus Lemonnier,
C.S.C.
1874
- Jimmie Edwards named first librarian of Notre Dame's circulating library.
1879
- (April 23) - The Great Fire! The Main Building is destroyed along
with all but 500 books in the library.
- The Rebirth - the Main Building is rebuilt and a library opens in
September.
1882
- The "Fathers" or College library merged with the students' circulating
library.
- First formal library budget - $500.
- 16,000 volumes in the library.
1884
- Science Hall, with a separate library, opens.
1886
- First telephone in the library
- First electric lights in the library
1888
- A new library on the third floor of the Main Building opens.
1900
- 52,000 volumes in the library.
1907
- First professional librarian, Florence Espy, hired to catalog the
library.
1914
- Separate law library established.
A University Library, 1917-1962
1917
- (June 10) - a new separate library building dedicated.
1918
- First graduate courses.
1920
- 103,000 volumes in the library.
1928
- First photocopy machine in the library.
1929
- Reclassification of collections from Dewey to Library of Congress
system.
1933
- First separate engineering library opened in Cushing Hall.
1938
- First electric charging machine acquired for library circulation.
- Separate biology library opened in Wenninger-Kirsch (now Haggar) Hall.
1940
- 195,000 volumes in the library
1945
- First microfilm reader was acquired.
1946
- Medieval Institute, with separate library, established.
1953
- Nieuwland science library for chemistry, physics and mathematics opened.
1959
- President Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., announces plans for a new
library building.
1961
- Ground-breaking for the new library, designated the Memorial Library.
1962
- Mathematics and Computer Science library opened.
A Research Library, 1963-present
1963
- Memorial Library, with subject-based services and separate undergraduate
and research collections, opened.
- Radiation Laboratory library opened.
- Architecture library opens in old main library building.
1970
- Life sciences library opened in Galvin Life Science Center.
- One-millionth volume added.
1972
- Subject divisional arrangement of collections and services in Memorial
Library ended.
- Women admitted to the undergraduate program.
1980
- Earth sciences library closed, with most collections transferred to
Memorial Library.
1981
- Library acquires first personal computer.
1985
- Libraries begin collecting videos.
1986
- 1,546,048 volumes in the libraries.
- The NOTIS automated library system acquired; initial installation
begins.
1987
- Memorial Library renamed for President Emeritus Theodore M. Hesburgh,
C.S.C.
- First CD-ROM product.
- Libraries' card catalog closed (no more cards filed).
- First public access to UNLOC (University of Notre Dame Libraries'
Online Catalog).
1988
- The "Great Bar-Coding Project," in connection with the pending automated
circulation system.
1989
- First library preservation unit established.
1991
- Kellogg Center Reading Room opened.
1992
- Information begins to become available from Libraries through the
internet.
1995
- (August) - the Libraries' World Wide Web homepage becomes available.
2003
- Renovation of the Lower Level in Hesburgh Library completed.
For the more complete account, see:
Miller, Robert C. "The University Libraries and Notre Dame: A Chronology."
WHAT IS WRITTEN REMAINS: HISTORICAL ESSAYS ON THE LIBRARIES OF NOTRE DAME.
Ed. Maureen Gleason and Katharina J. Blackstead. Notre Dame: University
of Notre Dame Press, 1994.
Pictures courtesy of University Archives.
