Stetson Lawyer; 1972 vol. 15 no. 1 August

NIVE RSIT Y COLLEGE ^lawu&i Volume 15, Number I ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA August, 1972 LIBRARY ADDITION READIED FOR USE NEXT MONTH Dana Foundation Challenge Gift, Matching Funds Provide For Doubling Size of Present Facility EXPANSION. New construction will increase seating capacity from 138 to 275; shelving capacity from 70,000 to 160,000 volumes; useable sguare footage from 13,445 to over 30,000 sguare feet. It will provide space for individual study carrels, typing stations, microfilm storage, microform machines, and other presently non-existent features. The most significant achievement at the College of Law during the 1971-1972 academic year has been the near completion of the long-needed addition to the Charles A. Dana library, which is designed to more than double the utility of the original building, dedicated in 1958. The Overseers, the Dean and the faculty have long been aware of the necessity for expansion. A law library collection doubles itself about every 16 years simply through normal accumulation of continuations and essential material for new courses. Also, growth in student enrollment, though presently stabilized, has resulted in twice as many students competing for library seating space and study aids. Solely because of the natural course of events, the "splendid establishment" of 1958, more than adequate for the times, has been gradually falling below the standard required by the Association of American Law Schools. The dream of new facilities to meet what were becoming urgent needs took on a semblance of form and substance in April, 1971, when the Charles A. Dana Foundation pledged $200,000 for library expansion on the same terms as was made a condition of Mr. Dana's initial gift — that other friends and alumni of Stetson respond with a similar amount. Plans were immediately made for launching a fund raising campaign; the St. Petersburg firm of Harvard and Jolly was engaged as architects; and by October 13 the success of the project was assured to the extent that the College felt justified in entering into a construction contract with Lincoln and Karcher, local builders. Work On Schedule Work has proceeded on schedule, and the facility will be ready for use by students when classes begin for the fall semester, September 8. "We won't be comfortably settled by that time," said Head Librarian Lamar Woodard, as he evaluated the rate of progress before leaving for a mid-July vacation, "but all books should be on the shelves and most of the necessary new furniture in place." Dean Dillon, whose own efforts in obtaining finances for the addition have been considerable, singles out several men for special mention because of their part in procuring the funds that have made it a reality. It was Walter Mann, a trustee of the University and first president of the Board of Overseers, whose favorable presentation persuaded the Board of Directors of the Charles A. Dana Foundation to make the challenge grant. Mann received strong support from the President of the Foundation, MacLean Gander, who had previously visited the College and learned first hand the beneficial use to which other gifts from the Danas and their Foundation had been put. University Helps John E. Johns, President of Stetson University, not only contributed his efforts, but generously made available as advisor and organizer of the challenge fund campaign the services of Mike Chertok, the University's capable director of development. Working closely with Chertok were J. Ben Watkins, '49, a member of the Board of Overseers and a past president of the Stetson Lawyers Association, who headed the campaign steering committee, and William Amory Underhill, '36, President of the Law Center Foundation at St. Petersburg, Inc., who served as campaign general manager. Daniel Burton, '64, undertook the task of informing alumni of the campaign and enlisting their support. No man, however, deserves more credit for the success of the fund drive than William J. Clapp, Chairman of the Board of Overseers, not only because of his leadership, but because of his personal and successful solicitation of prospective contributors. "A Collective Effort" "It has been a collective effort," said Dean Dillon. "We must never forget, though, that all of the time and energy given us by these dedicated people would have been for nothing were it not for the business men of the Tampa Bay area, loyal Stetson Lawyers, and scores of other friends of the College who responded so generously to their call for support."