Central Washington University Library

The Central Washington University library began in Barge Hall, moved into Bouillon Hall in 1962, and finally to a new building in 1973. In 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James E. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Accession Records and Circulation Statistics, 1899-1962, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Faculty Publications, 1910s-1992, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Newsletters, 1945-1986, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Faculty Information Files, 1920s-1980s (bulk 1940s-1960s), (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Miscellaneous Records, 1935-1980, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Meeting Minutes, 1930s-1993, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library began in Barge Hall, moved into Bouillon Hall when it was constructed, and finally to a new building in 1973. The architect of the new library building was Ibsen Nelson of Seattle. The library was initially part of a Library-Instructional Complex that included another building attached to the library via a breezeway which would have contained the Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology departments as well as general use classrooms. In 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Brooks Library Building Papers, 1962-2011, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Faculty Personnel Newspaper Clippings, 1940s-1980s, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The library at Central Washington University acquired and collected audio tapes and cassettes as educational materials as early as the 1950s. The vast majority of these recordings were mass-produced by private firms and state and federal agencies. However, the library also collected audio recordings of significant addresses, lectures and interviews deemed historic to the college and region.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Audio Tapes, 1951-1989, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

In 1957, a committee of twenty-three, including the Dean of Instruction, Chariman of the Campus Site Committee, members of the library professional staff, one member from each of the instructional divisions and two students, began outlining the instructional and material needs of the library at Central College of Education. After this preliminary planning, a smaller steering committee headed by Dr. J. Wesley Crum, Dean of Instruction, worked with architects of the Seattle firm of Bassetti and Morse to draw up the final plans for new college library. $1,638,154 was allocated for construction and ground was broken on April 25, 1960. By August of the following year, the new building was completed and the contents of Smyser Hall moved into it. The dedication was held on April 26, 1963, when the library was formally named in honor of Mr. Victor J. Bouillon in recognition of his many years of service as a trustee and friend of the college.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Bouillon Library Building Committee Papers, 1954-1967, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library was initially established and housed in Barge Hall in 1897. On December 19, 1925, the library was relocated to the newly built Shaw-Smyser Hall. By 1954 the library had outgrown Shaw-Smyser Hall and state funding for a new building was sought. Funding was approved in 1959 and construction was begun in the spring of 1960. The library was moved to Bouillon Hall when construction was completed on September 1, 1961. Before the end of the decade Bouillon Hall was at capacity and plans for a new library and instruction building were launched. In 1973, construction was completed on the new library. Thirty years later, in 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James L. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Special Edition Newspapers, 1847-2003, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)

The Central Washington University library began in Barge Hall, moved into Bouillon Hall in 1962, and finally to a new building in 1973. In 2003, the building was named in honor of Dr. James E. Brooks, former president of Central Washington University.

From the guide to the Central Washington University Library Department, Annual Reports of the Librarian, 1921-1961, 1963-1988, (Central Washington University Archives and Special Collections)