Administration Building Library
In 1899, the first library on the campus of Ball State University was created. The library consisted of one room in the Administration Building with a collection of 5,000 books. The first university library was Mary Emerick.
As the university continued to grow, the library was in need of more space. In 1912, the library was given two rooms on the 2nd floor, south of the chapel. The library also added cases and library tables to this space making it inviting for students. The annual budget for new materials was $500. The departmental libraries also supported subjects including Commercial, Law, Manual Training, and Agriculture.
In 1918, the library was in need of another expansion with the creation of the Eastern Division of Indiana State Normal School. On June 7th, the library opened for service to 283 students in the West Wing of the Administration Building. The library included a collection of approximately 1,800 volumes and 60 periodical subscriptions. In the next year, the book collection increased to 6,000.
In 1922, the lead librarian, Barcus Tichenor, offered a non-prepared course on the use of the library. This was first step in presenting library instruction at the university. Due to this course, a reference librarian was added to the staff and the library was open 48 during the week to accommodate students. The library's collection included 8,600 books and 90 periodicals.
By 1925, plans for a new library were completed. The library had grown to include a collection of 16,000 volumes and 100 periodical subscriptions and a new course was being offered in Library Science for Teacher-Librarians. On April 14th, the Library and Assembly Hall opens. This new building cost the university $250,000 to construct and housed a collection of 20,000 volumes. The new building also included a reading room for 92 students, an upstairs reading room for 96 students, a museum containing pictures, postcards, lantern slides, and other teaching materials, and an art gallery. At this time, a cataloger and circulation chief were added to the personnel.
In 1899, the first library on the campus of Ball State University was created. The library consisted of one room in the Administration Building with a collection of 5,000 books. The first university library was Mary Emerick.
As the university continued to grow, the library was in need of more space. In 1912, the library was given two rooms on the 2nd floor, south of the chapel. The library also added cases and library tables to this space making it inviting for students. The annual budget for new materials was $500. The departmental libraries also supported subjects including Commercial, Law, Manual Training, and Agriculture.
In 1918, the library was in need of another expansion with the creation of the Eastern Division of Indiana State Normal School. On June 7th, the library opened for service to 283 students in the West Wing of the Administration Building. The library included a collection of approximately 1,800 volumes and 60 periodical subscriptions. In the next year, the book collection increased to 6,000.
In 1922, the lead librarian, Barcus Tichenor, offered a non-prepared course on the use of the library. This was first step in presenting library instruction at the university. Due to this course, a reference librarian was added to the staff and the library was open 48 during the week to accommodate students. The library's collection included 8,600 books and 90 periodicals.
By 1925, plans for a new library were completed. The library had grown to include a collection of 16,000 volumes and 100 periodical subscriptions and a new course was being offered in Library Science for Teacher-Librarians. On April 14th, the Library and Assembly Hall opens. This new building cost the university $250,000 to construct and housed a collection of 20,000 volumes. The new building also included a reading room for 92 students, an upstairs reading room for 96 students, a museum containing pictures, postcards, lantern slides, and other teaching materials, and an art gallery. At this time, a cataloger and circulation chief were added to the personnel.
Administration Building Library, 1918
Information gained through conversations with Ball University Staff and from http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/libraries/collectionsanddept/archives/collections/universityarchives/exhibits/bracken/ablibrary and http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/libraries/collectionsanddept/archives/collections/universityarchives/exhibits/bracken/timeline