Concordia University Library (Portland, Or.)

Concordia College was founded in September1905 as a high school for boys preparing for the pastoral ministry in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. In December of that year the Board recommended that a library be formed and established a budget of $30. When the first building was constructed in 1907, one room was devoted to a library. At first collection development was a matter of requesting pastors and others to donate books. When the first building was razed in 1948 while a new administration building was under construction, the library was moved temporarily into the basement of the newly-constructed Centennial Hall dormitory. In 1951 a chapel/library addition to the administration building provided a 70' x 30' area for a library. When this space soon became overcrowded, planning began for a new library. In 1981 a library was constructed together with a dining hall and was named the FWJ Sylwester Learning Resource Center in memory of the first president. FWJ Sylwester was also the first librarian and was involved in the library in various capacities until 1972. Other head librarians have included Mrs. Adelaide Willworth (part-time), 1948-1851; Lewis Klitzke, 1958-1961; Alma Dobberfuhl, 1961-1986; Nolan R. Bremer, 1987-2003; and Brent Mai, 2003- Concordia was a high school until 1950 when a junior college was added. In 1961 the college and high separated administratively, although both used the same library facilities. In 1977 the high school moved away from the campus.