The Start of Ohio University Libraries

Education Requires Books

Ohio University Libraries dates to 1814, a decade after the university was originally established in 1804. While funds had been allocated for the purchase of books beginning in 1810, it was not until June 14, 1814, that the Board of Trustees adopted, for the first time, a resolution instilling a set of seven rules and regulations by which The Library of Ohio University was founded and managed. 

Literary Societies Build the Collection

Particularly significant to the early book history of Ohio University were the literary societies on campus — in particular, the Athenian Society, established in June 1819, and the Philomathean Society, organized in January 1822. While other literary societies came and went at the university, these two endured until 1923. At the height of these societies, members met weekly to discuss programming, business matters, books, book collecting, and fund-raising for the purchase of said books. In 1878, the two organizations jointly donated their libraries to the university library. Many 19th century books in the rare book collection still contain the bookplates of one of these two societies.

Andrew Carnegie Funds New Library

Throughout the 19th century, books continued to be added to the library, but there was no building dedicated to the growing collection, which by 1889 contained close to 8,000 volumes. Beginning around 1901, the Board of Trustees began discussing the need to build a new library. 

Ohio Governor George K. Nash, General Charles H. Grosvenor, and Ohio University President Alston Ellis were appointed to a committee that reached out to Andrew Carnegie, who at the time was helping to fund the construction of mostly public libraries around the country. In late 1903, Carnegie came through with $30,000 “for the erection of a Library building in the Village of Athens, state of Ohio, for the joint use of the Ohio University and the citizens of the Village.” The new Carnegie Library (now Scripps Hall) was dedicated on June 14, 1905. It included a very popular children’s room and display area for all new books.

New Libraries Needed

It did not take long for the library collection and usage to outgrow its space, and the Edwin Watts Chubb Library (now Chubb Hall) opened in the spring of 1931. It only took about another 30 years for Chubb to run out of space, and in 1969, students, faculty and others formed human and tractor chains to move approximately 500,000 books across the College Green into the new Vernon R. Alden Library. Alden Library now boasts over 3 million volumes.