August 28, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Samuel C. Williams Library. To commemorate the library’s extensive history, a luminous celebration was held in the Great Hall and Sam’s Place, including souvenirs, refreshments, and informational brochures. On display was the library’s newest exhibit, Discovery and Exploration: The History of the Stevens Library, designed by the Archives and Special Collections department. The exhibit delves into the origins of the Samuel C. Williams Library and tells the tale of how it came to be.
The library, originally located in what we know today as Edwin A. Stevens Hall, was constructed in 1870. At the time, the library was constrained to a small room containing various educational texts catering to the engineering community. In 1902, a varied collection of historical and philosophical texts aiming to create a well-rounded engineer with a broad academic foundation was donated by the college’s first president, Dr. Henry Morton, following his death. With this momentum, the library experienced aggressive growth over the next few decades. In 1902, the university obtained Babylonian cuneiform tablets from President Alexander C. Humphreys. These tablets are in fact the oldest artifacts in the library, dating back to 2350-2100 B.C.E. As the academic collections began to grow larger, the understaffed library began to exceed its capacity; students and faculty begged for reform. Soon, a professional librarian was given the daunting responsibility of organizing the seemingly lawless library.
Enid May Hawkins fulfilled the role of professional librarian and solely sustained the library for the next four decades. By the late 1940s, the library became a vibrant space for students and faculty to study and conduct research. Thanks to Hawkins, the library collection grew six times in size, and it gained various new historical collections, such as the Stevensiana Collection, which collected materials related to the history of the Stevens family and history of Stevens. To this day, primary sources are collected by the Special Collections department to continue documenting the legacy of the Stevens family.
But the Stevens family manuscripts are not the only important documents saved in the library. A fair share belongs to the famous artist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, thanks to John W. Lieb, a Stevens alumnus, who was captivated by da Vinci’s designs. Lieb collected many texts and manuscripts detailing the life of da Vinci and his fascinating work in the hopes that they would be studied by future generations. After Lieb’s death, the 2,000 item collection was procured by Samuel Insull, who donated it to Stevens. Today, students can access the timeless John W. Lieb Memorial Collection of Leonardo da Vinci on the second floor the library. Another Stevens alumnus, Fredrick Winslow Taylor, was essential in contributing to the mass production revolution throughout the mid-20th century. Taylor’s work presented in The Principles of Scientific Management redefined the optimization of industrial labor. The Fredrick Winslow Taylor Collection is available today for research purposes and is housed on the second floor of the library.
During the early 1950s, the library moved to the Lieb Building, which was previously used as barracks for Navy cadets. After some much-needed renovations to the Lieb Building, the library began to sport a modern appearance as opposed to its former jail-like display. Soon thereafter, Frances Ida Duck was appointed as head librarian in 1946. Her work in the library propelled the graduate program at Stevens, giving it both momentum and identity. The library’s collection grew to 45,000 volumes but was still insufficient for the university’s growing research needs. Again, the library required an increase in space in order to accommodate.
In 1966, Richard P. Widdicombe was hired as an assistant librarian and became Director of the Library in 1975. Widdicombe is best known for his influential impact on students and technological advancements in the library. In 1985, Widdicombe introduced one of the first library computer database searchings and created a microcomputer-based library system. Widdicombe also organized the first Stevens Family Reunion in 1980, inspiring Mary Stuart Stevens to donate Stevens family items to the library.
In 1961, due to increasing demands, the university administration undertook a 10-year plan to construct a new library in place of the Lieb Building. The Library Planning Committee suggested building a library with four levels, capable of housing 150,000 volumes, and a seating capacity of 550. Through sizable donations, federal grants, and gifts from alumni, the $3,000,000 library was underway. The Samuel C. Williams Library was opened in 1969 and introduced a period of exponential growth and modernization on campus by President Jess H. Davis. By the spring semester of 1969, the library became accessible to all Stevens students and faculty. The library was dedicated to Samuel Crane Williams to honor his work as a professor and curator of Special Collections.
Although the exhibit was the supposed star of the event, the librarians truly stole the show. A long line of undergraduate and graduate students alike formed in the library’s Great Hall in an effort to learn more about library resources and grab fun souvenirs. One particular activity that stood out involved students asking the librarians questions and earning stickers decorated with avatars of the librarians. After gaining stickers and looking for the “missing answer” within the exhibit, students were able to enter a raffle. In all, the 50th anniversary celebration truly captured the librarians’ enthusiasm to help students and honor this momentous occasion!
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