25th Anniversary Online Exhibit

[The archives staff mounted two exhibits on the subject of the Consortium Library. The first was mounted in two exhibit cases located in the lobby of the College of Arts and Science. It was shown between March and July 1995. The second exhibit, which celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the library, was much larger and contained over 200 items. It was located in the atrium of the library and was available to the public between March and December 1998. This exhibit, the largest mounted by the archives staff, contained over 200 items including newspapers articles, photographs, plans, drawings, and a variety of other materials. The exhibit was divided into a number of panels dealing with different topics. The topics included the early years; getting started; planning documents; physical changes; technical changes; faculty and staff; books, budgets, and hours; and new library planning. In addition, there were sections on the archives, government documents, and health sciences units.]

Historical Note

(This is the text of the flyer developed by the UAA Chancellor's Office for the reception at the closing of the exhibit.)

The Library is at the heart of higher learning. It has been a central feature in the planning, growth, and development of the University of Alaska Anchorage from its earliest days. With origins in the development of Anchorage Community College, the library shared its first collections with West High School until the construction of the ACC campus in 1969. The concept of a joint library to serve the community college and the neighboring private educational institution, Alaska Methodist University, quickly followed and produced an agreement to develop a joint library.

In 1970 the legislature passed a bill funding the construction of the library to be shared by both institutions. The Consortium Library opened in 1973.

The development of this new library in the early 1970s coincided with the changes in the institutions, which it served. When AMU ceased operations in the mid-1970s and was replaced by a new institution, Alaska Pacific University, the consortium agreements remained. The senior college eventually led to the four-year University of Alaska, Anchorage. In 1987 this unit combined with the community college to establish today's University of Alaska Anchorage.

Since first constructed, UAA has grown dramatically both in students served and academic programs offered. Today the library is half the size recommended by the Association of College Research Libraries but exciting plans are underway to expand and transform the library, both in space and concept, into the 21st Century....

Acknowledgements for This Exhibit

(Excerpt from statement used in the exhibit.)

The concept of a 25th anniversary celebration and exhibit was first suggested by Alden Rollins, UAA Government Documents Librarian. The actual exhibit is the work of collaboration involving many people. Some elements were used in previous archives exhibits....

Several archives collections were used in developing this exhibit in addition to the various student newspapers. These included the Chancellor's Office, Library Administration, University Relations, the Merrill Grube Collection, and the Nancy Lesh Collection. The materials used in the sections on Government Documents and on the Health Sciences Information Service were supplied by Alden Rollins and Loretta Andress respectively. The materials relating to the Archives and Special Collections Department were selected by the archivist.

The photographs were obtained from a number of sources. These included the files of University Relations, the Grube and Lesh collections, and from a variety of other sources including Jack O'Bar and Fred Janvrin. The most important sources of staff photographs were Sally Fries, Marsha Calloway, and Alden Rollins....

....The layout was determined by the archivist, Dennis F. Walle.

Selected Exhibit Photographs

1. Anchorage High School and Community College; 1955.
(This photograph is from the cover of the dedication program which was used in the exhibit. The original used in the program was from Mac's Photo.)

The Anchorage Community College Library was located in the circular section of the building.

2. Surplus Ammunition Boxes - Used for Transferring Books to the New ACC Campus; ca. 1969.
(Unknown Photographer)

Originally, Anchorage Community College was located in Anchorage West High School. The college moved to a newly constructed campus in 1969. This photograph shows a phase in the move. These crates, ammunition boxes, were used to hold the books while they were being transferred the the new library facility.

3. Architect's Rendering of the Consortium Library Building; January 1971.

This drawing is one of two similar renderings used in the exhibit. One was a large colored line drawing while the other (this version) was the line drawing that was used in a document submitted by the architect.

4. Library Staff Moving the ACC Book collection to the New Library; 1973.
(Unknown Photographer.)

Included in the photograph are Catherine Innes-Taylor, Nancy Lesh (ACC Head Librarian), and Toh-sook Chang. Eventually, each of these librarians went on to serve at the community college and Consortium Library for over twenty-five years. They are shown here packing boxes of books prior to shipment.

5. Consortium Library Entrance; 1970s-1980s.
(Photographer Unknown.)

The photograph shows the library entrance which existed for most of the history of the library. During the period represented a significant portion of the library facility was occupied by other university offices.

6. New Consortium Library Entrance; 1993.
(Photograph by Todd Johnson of The Northern Light.)

This view shows the library entrance after the remodeling in the early 1990s. That effort produced a new entrance, circulation, and reference areas. This photograph was printed in the March 2 issue of the UAA student newspaper, The Northern Light.

7. Alden Rollins, Government Documents Librarian; n.d. (Photographer Unknown)

In this picture, Professor Rollins is showing the Congressional Informational Service Serial Set. Under his leadership, the government documents unit in the Consortium Library became a model in this region.

8. The Changing of the Guard: Dr. Jack O'Bar, First Library Director, with his Successor, Barbara Sokolov; 1990.
(Unknown Photographer)

Dr. O'Bar was director of the library from 1972 to 1990. During his years of service, the library grew substantially and began the shift to an electronic library. Under the new director, there has been much progress in the utilization and expansion of computerized services in the UAA Consortium Library. [Note: Barbara Sokolov retired in 1998.]

9. Future Site of University of Alaska Anchorage LIBRARY OF THE 21st CENTURY; 1998.

This view is the cover of the brochure outlining the need to develop a new consortium library. The brochure describes the need for the library as well as outlines the main elements of the facility.