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Compiled March 2003 | Revised: 19 July 2023
URL: https://muarchives.missouri.edu/libraryex.html
| Brief Chronology of the MU Libraries |
| 1841 | • | First provision for a library, $1,000 |
| 1845 | • | Bonne Femme College closed and donated its library to the University of Missouri-Columbia. |
| 1849-1853 | • | Robert Stuart Thomas, Professor of Metaphysics and English literature and Librarian |
| 1853-1860 | • | Bolivar Stark Head, Professor of Mathematics and Librarian |
| 1858/1860 | • | 4,000 volumes |
| 1860-1862 | • | Edward T. Fristoe, Professor of Mathematics and Librarian |
| 1862(Mar) | • | University closed; Federal troops occupied Academic Hall. The University opened again in November 1862. |
| 1862-1877 | • | Joseph Granville Norwood, Librarian and Dean of Medical School |
| 1871 | • | General Assembly first appropriation for library, $5000 in Missouri bonds |
| 1871 | • | Board resolved to spend $1,000 annually for purchase of books. |
| 1872 | • | Beginning of Law Library |
| 1873 | • | Founding of Medical Library |
| 1877-1880 | • | Scott Hayes, Assistant Professor of Agriculture and Librarian, had been first Assistant Librarian |
| 1879/1880 | • | 12,161 books 12,767 pamphlets |
| 1881-1887 | • | Joseph H. Drummond, Businessman and Librarian |
| 1887-1892 | • | John Watson Monser, Minister in Church of Christ and Librarian |
| 1892 | • | Academic Hall burns and the Library's collection is destroyed. |
| 1894 | • | Library collection moved into the first floor of Jesse Hall. |
| 1897-1900 | • | Walter King Stone, Librarian |
| 1900-1907 | • | James Thayer Gerould, first professionally trained librarian |
| 1901 | • | Campaign for new library begins |
| 1905 | • | Engineering Library opened |
| 1907 | • | Gerould opens the stacks to all students. |
| 1907-1937 | • | Henry Ormal Severance, University Librarian |
| 1909 | • | Agriculture Library opened |
| 1910 | • | First exhibit sponsored and created by the University Library; the topic was the history of printing. |
| 1913 | • | Legislature voted $200,000 for library building and $75,000 for the site |
| 1914 | • | Construction of Main Library, Architect James P. Jamieson of St. Louis |
| 1916 | • | Main Library opened |
| 1920 | • | Official opening of Journalism Library |
| 1924 | • | Largest appropriation to date, $30,000 |
| 1925 | • | 225,958 books passed over the loan desk; 22 staff members |
| 1929 | • | 310,000 materials circulated |
| 1933(Dec) -1934(Feb) | • | The Civil Works Administration assigned 11 workers to conduct an inventory of the stacks. |
| 1934 | • | Librarians took a 10-15% salary reduction as a result of the Depression. |
| 1936 | • | West wing of Library completed |
| 1937 | • | Rare Book Room was established. |
| 1937(Aug) -1946(Sep) | • | Benjamin Edward Powell, Acting University Librarian and University Librarian |
| 1941 | • | "University Archives Collection" was established for printed materials; it is now the Spec-M Collection. |
| 1944 | • | There were 37 employees, but due to WWII, this year reflects the greatest turnover in Library history. |
| 1945 | • | Collections surpass 500,000 volumes. |
| 1947(Apr) -1969 | • | Ralph H. Parker, Director of Libraries |
| 1949(Jan) | • | Microfilm Laboratory established, serving Library and University |
| 1949(Jun) | • | MU Library Staff Association was formed. |
| 1951 | • | Beginning of Recorded Sound Library to support music department |
| 1952 | • | First recorded journal cancellation, 375 titles |
| 1954 | • | Three rooms of the library were air conditioned. |
| 1955 | • | $350,000 appropriated for new addition; Lincoln University Law Library deposits 30,000 volumes with Library |
| 1956 | • | Motor scooter used for deliveries between library branches. |
| 1957 | • | Creation of Collection Evaluation office |
| 1958 | • | Beginning of construction of new addition to the Library |
| 1960(Jan) | • | Friends of the Libraries founded. |
| 1960 | • | Dewey dropped for Library of Congress classification; late in the year, the building addition was occupied. |
| 1961 | • | Reclassification begins in fall. |
| 1962 | • | Entire new building occupied and in use. |
| 1962 | • | Biological and Agricultural Libraries moved into Main Library. |
| 1964 | • | One of the nation's first automated library circulation system installed in Main Library. |
| 1969 | • | Director of the System Wide University of Missouri Archives was established and Ralph Havener was the first person to hold this office |
| 1970(Jan) -1972(Aug) | • | C. Edward Carroll, Director of Libraries |
| 1971-1978 | • | Friends of the Libraries gave five editions of Ovid's Metamorphoses dating from 1509-1771 |
| 1971(Nov) | • | Main Library designated as the Elmer Ellis Library. Elmer Ellis was a President of the University of Missouri-Columbia and the first President of the University of Missouri System. |
| 1973-1977 | • | Dwight Tuckwood, Director of Libraries |
| 1977(Jan) -1982(Feb) | • | John H. Gribbin, Director of Libraries |
| 1980 | • | Medical Library renamed Health Sciences Library |
| 1980 | • | Collection exceeds 2 million volumes |
| 1981(Jul) | • | Complete autonomy for the Law Library |
| 1982(Mar) -1982(Nov) | • | Dean Schmidt Interim Director |
| 1982(Nov) -1988(Aug) | • | Thomas W. Shaughnessy, Director of Libraries |
| 1989(Aug) -1990(Aug) | • | Dean Schmidt Interim Director |
| 1989 | • | Creation of independent archival programs on each of the four University campuses and University Archives in Columbia becomes part of MU Libraries three years later |
| 1990(Aug) -2002(Apr) | • | Martha Alexander Bowman, Director of Libraries |
| 2001 | • | Surpassed three million volumes |
| 2002(Apr) -2016(June) | • | James C. Cogswell, Director of Libraries |
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| Published by: University Archives muarchives.missouri.edu/ Compiled March 2003 | Revised: 19 July 2023 URL: https://muarchives.missouri.edu/libraryex.html |
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