A nice over view of our 10 story tall library tower. [Samantha McNeilly/AUM library]
In 1982, construction of the building commenced. The building was designed to expand the available shelf space for the library and to create space for offices and classrooms. In 1984, Governor George Wallace was a part of the dedication ceremony.
Our library is similar locally/nationally to most universities libraries because it is located on campus and besides updating the HVAC system, there are no future plans for the building.
Head of Public Services, AUM librarian, Jessica Hayes says she does have a goal for some change that she would like to see occur at the library, “The goal is to become a place people know that they can be helped and seen as relevant not just because of books but because of how products prepare students to be good citizens for the community. She would also like to partner more with individual departments so students see the library as more than a tower of books but as human beings that really want to help them.”
Interlibrary loan and Access Services Librarian, Karen Williams says, “Weekly visitors average between 4,000–6,000. The number of daily visitors also fluctuates with the academic calendar. Mondays through Thursdays have a higher number of visitors (anywhere between 900–1200) then Fridays (around 400), Saturdays, and Sundays have the lowest number (around 200 for each day).”
Administration Building to Library Tower
The library tower was completed in 1984 and it was originally three stories. Those original three stories of the library now makes up the current administration building. The library has 10 floors, floor eight is a catalog and archives special collections floor. There have been frequent landscaping changes outside of the library tower that has incorporated the use of more flowers.
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-Selina Johnson
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This article was written as a creative project assignment for a journalism course, Media Writing II, at Auburn University at Montgomery in Spring 2018. More information and amazing articles can be found here!
Decades ago I spent waaaay too much time poring over Rolling Stone in the tower rather than studying or reading what I should have been reading. I learned a lot from RS, but none of that particular education propelled me to success. I’ll always remember discovering Hunter Thompson, who is still my inspiration, Ben Fong-Torres, Ralph Gleason, and innumerable music critics.