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U N I 1 T Y
NEWSLETTER Spring 2004
Message from the Library Director
Forty years ago this spring the eagerly awaited
duPont-Baii Library opened, replacing Sampson-
Carnegie Library, built in 1907. As I am one
who remembers that day well, you may note that
this newsletter issue is history-oriented.
I describe the differences in the two buildings
and the remarkable day in which the library
collection was carried by hand to the new
building by students, faculty, and staff.
Although University Archives have been housed
in the Library for many years, in the last two
years we have taken a very proactive stance in
collecting and organizing those holdings. In
addition to historical records, we also have
interesting memorabilia, as you will read in
Susan Ryan's article.
As a librarian and historian, I am one of many
who are concerned about President Bush's
Executive Order 13233 of November 1, 2001,
which allows any sitting President to restrict
access to the records of his/her predecessors.
Barbara Costello provides an excellent
description of this order and its implications.
We hope you enjoy these articles and the other
news in this issue.
Betty D. Johnson, Library Director
OPERATION BOOKLIFT, MAY 7,1964
As the new $1,000,000 duPont-Ball Library neared completion in the spring of 1964, Library Director Bob
Mowery was faced with the question of how
to move a collection of approximately
100,000 volumes. Exam week was
scheduled to begin on May 25th.
When it became evident that the new
building would be completed in late April,
Mowery was determined that current
graduating students should have the
opportunity to use it. He convinced
President J. Ollie Edmunds to declare
Friday, May 7, 1964, Operation BookliftDay
and to cancel all classes. The 1,200
students, along with faculty and staff, were
asked to carry armloads of books from
Sampson to duPont-Ball for about one hour
each. Mowery estimated that this would
move all of the circulating and reference books in about six hours. A complimentary barbeque lunch in
the Forest of Arden was included. Volunteers were issued punched IBM cards (created by a state-of-the-
art IBM 1620 mainframe) with a time to report for duty.
Library faculty, staff, and student assistants were stationed in both buildings to coordinate the move so
books would be re-shelved in the correct order. Installation of the elevator had been delayed, so the
volunteers were to carry most of the circulating books upstairs to the mezzanine. President Edmunds
carried as the symbolic "first book moved" volume one of the facsimile Gutenberg Bible.
