Blackwell Library 2.0: 1975-2016

After the renovation was complete in 1975, the exterior of Blackwell Library had taken on a modernized appearance. A brick shell was constructed around the original structure to expand the interior square footage, which gave the building its current appearance. Although patrons continued to use the card catalog to discover books, new technologies were slowly introduced for locating resources. In 1995, the library opened its first VICTOR online catalog terminal.

Eventually, the library provided desktop computers and later laptops with internet access, but students increasingly complained that the building lacked outlets for personal devices. By the early 2000s, students used the library differently than in the past,  requiring more digital resources than print, more study space than shelf room, and more places for group work than individual study. In addition to obvious space needs, the library had found justification for reconceiving its physical and intellectual position within the university.

Documents and Artifacts