Amherst College Library

Variant names
Dates:
Active 1833
Active 1977

Biographical notes:

When the library history material was organized, original library administrative files were removed from the Library History Collection and returned to the Library Records. The bulk of this material was Librarian Robert S. Fletcher's (AC 1897) correspondence but also included other material such as the "Blunder Book" and library staff member Sabra Snell's classification procedures. When duplicate items existed, a copy was retained in the Library History Collection.

From the description of Amherst College Library history collection, 1850-1987 (bulk 1850-1965) (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 51775532

1821 1823 Joseph Estabrook, Professor Latin and Greek, Librarian 1821 Alexandrian and Athenian Societies, student literary societies, established; society libraries soon follow 1822 Library located in North College, 4th floor room 1823 1824 Zenas Clapp, Tutor and Librarian 1824 1827 Samuel M. Worcester, Professor and Librarian 1827 First library catalog published 1827 1853 Library located in Johnson Chapel, 3rd floor 1827 1852 Ebenezer Snell (AC 1822), Professor and Librarian 1831 Substantial increase to the Library because of John Tappan gift of $500 1836 Athenian Society publishes catalog 1844 Sears Fund of Literature and Benevolence established 1850 Library holdings are approximately 6,000 volumes 1851 1965 Memorabilia Room established 1852 1863 Lucius Boltwood (AC 1843) named first full-time Librarian 1853 New building opens, houses library; later named Morgan Hall 1855 Library holdings are approximately 12,000 volumes; Second library catalog published; second Athenian Society catalog also published 1863 Julius H. Seelye, Teacher and Librarian (without pay) 1864 1878 William Montague (AC 1855), Librarian, Registrar, and Professor of French, Italian, and Spanish 1864 First alphabetical author card catalog 1867 Merger of Athenian, Alexandrian, and College libraries discussed 1871 Supplement to library catalog published; open hours change from 3 hours/week to 6 hours/day except closed Sunday 1874 1876 Melvil Dewey (AC 1874) Assistant Librarian, starts subject catalog on cards 1878 Thomas P. Field, (AC 1834) Librarian 1879 1883 Walter Biscoe, (AC 1874) Acting Librarian 1883 Library expands; building named for Henry T. Morgan 1883 1911 William I. Fletcher, Librarian 1885 Library holdings are approximately 43,000 volumes 1891 1905 William I. Fletcher runs Summer course in Library Economy 1908 Robert S. Fletcher (AC 1897, son of W.I. Fletcher) named Assistant Librarian 1911 1939 Robert S. Fletcher, Librarian 1917 Converse Memorial Library opens 1935 1939 Henry deForest Smith, Library Director; Robert S. Fletcher on medical leave 1938 Addition built on Converse Memorial Library; First rare book room established in Converse addition ( 1939 1970 Newton F. McKeon (AC 1926), Library Director 1951 1978 Hampshire Inter-Library Center (HILC) established (initially Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, later Hampshire College) to provide cooperation among the libraries 1964 1965 Charles T. Laugher, Assistant Library Director 1965 Robert Frost Library opens; Friends of the Amherst College Library founded; Memorabilia Room moves from the Hitchcock Room in Morgan Hall to the Frost Library and renamed the College Archives 1965 1970 Charles T. Laugher, Associate Library Director 1968 Merrill Science Library opens; Music Library opens 1970 1974 Richard J. Cody, Librarian of the College 1970 1975 Charles T. Laugher, Library Director 1971 Audio-Visual Department established in Frost Library 1974 Library joins OCLC for cataloging purposes (substituted Library of Congress classification system for Dewey Decimal Classification System) 1975 Willis Bridegam, Librarian of the College 1978 College Archives given mandate by Board of Trustees 1980 House libraries discontinued 1986 Frost C-level opens (compact shelving installed 1985; Deweys moved to C-level 1986) 1988 First Five College on-line catalog system (LS/2000) installed (provides access to holdings at the University of Massachusetts and Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, as well as Amherst) 1994 Second Five College automated library system (III) installed 1994 Amherst College Depository opens

From the guide to the Amherst College Library Records, 1833-1977, 1876-1933, (Amherst College Archives and Special Collections)

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Subjects:

  • Academic libraries
  • Academic libraries
  • Bookplates, American
  • Academic libraries

Occupations:

not available for this record

Places:

  • Amherst College Library, ,
  • Massachusetts--Amherst (as recorded)

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