W.E.B. Du Bois Library
| W. E. B. Du Bois Library | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Research |
| Location |
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003 United States |
| Construction started | 1972 |
| Completed | 1974 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 286.5 feet (87.3 m) |
| Top floor | 28 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 30 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Edward Durrell Stone |
W. E. B. Du Bois Library at night
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| Country | United States |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1974 |
| Location | 154 Hicks Way University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 01003-9275 |
| Coordinates | 42°23′23.42″N 72°31′41.65″W / 42.3898389°N 72.5282361°WCoordinates: 42°23′23.42″N 72°31′41.65″W / 42.3898389°N 72.5282361°W |
| Collection | |
| Size | 5.9 Million |
| Website | [2] |
| References | |
The W. E. B. Du Bois Library is one of the two libraries of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts, the other being the Science and Engineering Library. The W.E.B. Du Bois Library holds resources primarily in humanities and social and behavioral sciences. At 28 stories and 286 feet 4 and 1/8 inches (roughly 88 m) tall, making it the second-tallest library in the world, and the tallest academic research library in the world. It is also the 23rd tallest educational building in the world. The building is so large that it maintains a security force, which is managed by various supervisors and student employees.
Present holdings at the UMass Libraries include over 5.9 million volumes and over 9 Million individual items, providing access to nearly 80,000 online journals, over 700,000 e-books, and more than 200 databases.
As part of the Five College Consortium, the UMass Amherst Libraries also have access to material from its partners in the Consortium: Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College. Students can also take advantage of the Interlibrary Loan Services to obtain materials from libraries beyond the Five College system and from all over the world.
As the University of Massachusetts Amherst began to grow exponentially in the 1960s it was decided by the Board of Trustees that a large University Library would be needed for the Library System to make the transition into the future. The designer was Edward Durrell Stone who followed recommendations by a Boston library consultant who recommended that the University would require a building of nearly 310,000 square feet to meet with the growing demands of students. Ground was broken in April 1969 and the building was opened to the public in 1973, with an official dedication taking place in 1974.
The building was ordered closed in September 1979 by then Chancellor Henry Koffler to address the serious issue of "spalling" where bits of brick from the facade on the exterior building would fall away. The most important and most used volumes were removed to the former Goodell Library Stacks (located adjacent to the building) as well as the majority of the library departments. The building was closed to all except staff who were allowed to retrieve any books left in the building. In December of 1979 the building was reopened with a maximum occupancy of 500 persons, and a special ticket was required for entry. By 1983 the problem had not been solved and the University acquired 2.5 Million dollars from the State Legislature to begin a major revamp to the buildings brick veneer. The money would also be used to reconstruct the main lobby and resize the first few floors of the building. The building was restored to full usage in 1985 and students and staff led an initiative in 1986 called "Mass Transformation" to clean up and restore the interior of the building.
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