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Show PACE 8 THE THUNDERBIRD THURSDAY MAY 7, 1987 THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF THE THUNDERBIRD WAS WRITTEN BY KRIS JOHNSON. PHOTOS BY RICHARD ENGLEMAN. Dedication, commitment mark SUSC Library history the doors of Old Main were opened fall of 1898, George W. Decker, in the ' librarian of the year-ol- d Branch Normal School, presided on its third floor, over d the most spacious, library that southern Utah had ever seen. The building cost a whopping $35,000 and was a great sacrifice for Cedar City pioneers to fund. Little did the pioneers know that their dream building would eventually be destroyed years later by a terrible disaster. Early one December morning in 1948, during the H. Wayne Driggs administration of the Branch Agriculture College, tragedy struck when an inferno of fire destroyed 85 percent of the $78,000 Library which was located in Old Main at that time. Books could be seen flying out the windows as Library staffers did everything possible to save them. The fire ended up destroying the entire top floor of the building. To make up for the books lost, the Library took out ads in library-oriente- d magazines and asked libraries across the nation to donate books that they had otherwise intended to discard. It's interesting to note that the Library still has many of those same books in its well-stocke- g, collection. Seven years later, a new building was dedicated. The books stocked in the new Library were donated by various educators of Library-Auditoriu- the state in honor of Driggs, who had died in 1951. Ten years later, however, because of the rapid growth of the school, there was still need for more books. As a result, the Library Development Foundation was born in 1962 and its primary function was to collect books and money to buy them. Its members served diligently until January 1967, when the college hired Lyman Smart to conduct a drive for $490,000 to purchase books for the Library. However, the two-flowing of the Auditorium was no longer large enough to house even the books the Library then had. On July 11, 1964, the Board of Trustees decided to come to the rescue by authorizing the administration to request funds from the legislature for a new building. Planning began with the appointment of a planning committee by Royden C. Braithwaite on March 29, 1965, just 18 days after the college had been made an independent, four-yea- r, degree-grantinliberal arts college. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on the site June 3, 1 967. The $1,125,000 building was completed that spring and human chains of students moved the books from the old building into the new one on March 18, 1968. Two days later, Cov. Calvin L. Rampton signed into law a bill changing the name of the school to Southern Utah State College, which became effective July 1, 1969. m The Old Main fire of 1948 had a devastating effect on the college's Library collection. Many of the books donated to the school were discards from other colleges. Incredibly, some of those are still in use here. Library staff has not been increased since facility built brary has not filled a new position since it was first built in 1968, when SUSC had an enrollment of 1,800 students. Since then SUSC enrollment has increased by 50 percent. Now, with the same amount of workers as in 1969, Library staffers have 2,800 students to look after. Completed in 1968, the current Library was designed to meet the traditional programming requirements of the college Then, enrollment was 1,765; the Library collection held 54,000 volumes, and 20,900 net square feet housed the collection and its direct support services about eight feet per student. The Library was planned to accommodate twice the number of volumes, provide 500 reader stations (sufficient tor 28 percent of the projected student body not to exceed 2,000 students), a modest special collections area, limited media production space, and a small instructional television studio. The building also accommodated several faculty offices, classroom and the campus learning center. Rapid enrollment growth, as well as projections of more extensive growth, illustrate the limited AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION STAFFING STANDARDS LIBRARIANS SUPPORT STAFF 14 capacity of the Library. Its space now houses a collection far in excess of the size for which the space was designed. Readers stations for only 6.5 percent of the current 2,800 students enrolled are available. In terms of space for stacks, seating and technical service space, the present Library is far below accreditation standards. From a single building on College Hill in 1898, SUSC has grown to occupy more than 20 buildings. It has become an exceptional educational institution with a remarkable reputation throughout the state as well as nationwide. 8 8 Students here at SUSC are proud to be attending this institution and are concerned for its future. As the College grows, so must the facilities and services. C- - .3 ALA STANDARD PEER CROUP SUSC ACTUAL FOR SUSC AVERAGE If considerations and plans continue to expand the learning facilities in order to keep up with enrollment, SUSC will be able to continue to make quality education and training accessible to deserving applicants from all classes and groups while maintaining a wide range of programs in response to the needs of the people of Utah. |