University of Massachusetts Amherst. Libraries

Massachusetts Agricultural College housed its first library in a room in the first South College building. When this building burned and the collection was destroyed in 1885, the faculty, students, and alumni donated their own books and journals to re-establish a collection which was then moved into the newly constructed combined chapel and library. In 1883 an Alumni Library Committee was established to raise funds for the construction of a Stone Chapel, which was built between 1884 and 1885. Now called Old Chapel, it was the first campus building designed for use as a library. Main library facilities have been housed in Old Chapel, Goodell Library (1935), and the University Library (called the “tower library”) (1973), which was named the W.E.B. Du Bois Library in 1996. Other library facilities on campus included libraries for the biological sciences, physical sciences, and the Music Library. The Integrated Science and Engineering Library has combined the services of the biological and physical sciences and is housed in the Lederle Graduate Research Center.

Henry Hill Goodell was the first official Librarian (1885-1899). He was succeeded by:

• Ella Frances Hall (1899-1908)
• Charles R. Green (1908-1921)
• Henry S. Green (1921-1924)
• Basil Boise Wood (1924-1952)
• Hugh Montgomery (1952-1966)

From 1966-1972 David Clay held the title Director of Libraries. Merle Boylan, Jr. held the title of University Librarian and Director from 1972-1973. The title Director of Libraries was established in 1973, and has been held by Richard Talbot (1973-1996), and Margaret L. Crist (1997-2003). The current Director of Libraries is Gerald Jay Schafer.

The collection consists of reports, meeting minutes, budget and planning documents, correspondence, policies and procedures, staffing records, photographs, news clippings and releases, catalogs, bibliographies and special events information. The Director / Librarian’s records (1924-1975) consist of accession lists, alphabetical and subject files, correspondence, and other materials. In other series detailed information can be found about the tower library design and construction, dedication, naming, brick problem, and the Mass Transformation and Class Act. Also included in the records is a significant amount of information on the Hampshire Inter-Library Center (HILC) and 5 College Cooperation.

This record group is organized into eleven major series: