Dimond Library at 50: Decades of Change
The building housing the University of New Hampshire Library has been shaped over its fifty-year history by changing theories of education, by budget constrictions, and by the evolution of American architecture.
This exhibit highlights some significant changes in the library we now call Dimond, since the construction of the building in 1958.
Introduction
The building housing the University of New Hampshire Library has been shaped over its fifty-year history by changing theories of education, by budget constrictions, and by the evolution of American architecture.
This exhibit highlights some significant changes in the library we now call Dimond, since the construction of the building in 1958.
The golden age of American library buildings began with the philanthrophy of Andrew Carnegie. Inspired by his immigrant past and his belief in education as the key to individual success, Carnegie financed the building of countless late 19th- and early 20th-century library buildings. The Carnegie Corporation and Hamilton Smith of Durham funded the first library building on campus in Hamilton Smith Hall in 1906-7.
The design of Hamilton Smith Library reflected the classical theory of the library as a repository of information made available through the guidance and preservation skills of librarians. Spaces reflected the architecture of a classical past.
The 1958 construction of a new building brought the library into the modern age.
Classical shapes were streamlined. The Ionic columns of Hamilton Smith Hall were replaced with simpler, bolder designs. The library looked more toward the future than the past for its inspiration.
The nation and education were changing. The Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957 preempted US plans for space exploration and focused the nation on science, technology, and international competition.
The first major renovation of the building in 1969 altered the rear elevation and the interior. Air-conditioning, carpet, a vending room, an escalator, and expanded stack space were the notable features of that construction.
Library planners of the 1960s also recommended cultural changes, including: helping patrons build new skills, adapting flexibly to changes in education, and adopting a greater presence in the community.
The renovation of 1997 was meant to express "the joy of discovery, the excitement of intellectual work," in the words of architect Graham Gund. Gund combined the grandeur of past reading rooms with the capacity for new technology and changing student needs.
1906 - Early twentieth-century librarians were expected to be accurate, speedy typists who would dispense knowledge. Author Dee Garrison called the librarians of 1876-1920 the "apostles of culture." Library ideals were as classical as the architecture.
1958 - For the first time, library planners included capacity for new technology and the science of "human mechanics" in their designs. Interiors took on a more streamlined appearance. Recommended floor coverings included vinyl, linoleum, rubber, or cork.
1969 - Planners of sixties libraries encouraged the use of more color and the hiring of professional decorators to maximize the appeal of library interiors. High-quality carpet striped in red and gold and brown and black became the most well-known aspect of the 1969 Dimond renovation for almost thirty years.
1997 - While earlier iterations of the UNH Library were challenged by ever-increasing paper collections, the renovation of 1997 had to accommodate both paper and electronic collections supported by the expertise of library professionals. Physical space became more available for group collaboration or quiet study. Gradually, the library incorporated more advanced technology and multiple formats for information.
In addition to technical changes in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, library buildings have had to accommodate updated technologies for users from microcard and microfilm to computer workstations and remote electronic resources.
The Library has maintained its role in hosting campus and community functions. The designs for rooms capable of accommodating large groups have evolved just as much as has the exterior architecture.
Dimond Library continues to change in response to the needs of students, faculty, and members of the community. Flexible and welcoming spaces house enhanced services at the center of learning for this public land-sea-space grant university.
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- Guidelines for Library Planners: Proceedings of the Library Buildings Institute. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1960.
- Hadley, Chalmers. Library Buildings: Notes and Plans. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1924.
- Kaser, David. The Evolution of the American Academic Library Building. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1997.
- The New Dimond Library: Dimond Library Commemorative Booklet. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, undated.
- University of Washington Information School Timeline.
Historical Images are from the Milne Special Collections and Archives.
Exhibit created by Amie Familgetti and Jody Fernald.
Thanks to Mylinda Woodward, Rob Wolff, Meredith Ricker, Eleta Exline, and Elizabeth Slomba.