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Historical Photos of the Library
New Mexico Highlands University
Founded in 1893 as New Mexico Normal at Las Vegas
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1899 - The first library in Normal Hall
Const ructed
in the Romanesque Style of local sandstone, Normal Hall was the first building
of the Normal University (later New Mexico Highlands University) and housed
classes, administration, as well as the university's first library. The
building was renamed Springer Hall in 1919 in honor of Frank Springer, attorney
and president of the university regents in 1897. |
©
Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation |
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1936 - Rodgers Library and Administration
This
new building, designed by architect John Gaw Meem, was dedicated in April
1937. The library occupied the entire second floor while the university
president and other administrative offices were located on the first floor.
Students formed a line and passed books from hand-to-hand to move many of
the books from Springer Hall to the new location. The building was named
in honor of Tom G. Rodgers, professor of mathematics and academic dean at
the Normal University.
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©
Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation |
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1966 - The Thomas C. Donnelly Library
The new 23,700 square foot library, designed by Robert Walters,
was made of “concrete, steel, stone and glass.” The architect
created this three-story building to be “seen, touched, walked under
and climbed through” at a cost of $1.2 million. When the new library
first opened, it held a collection of 110,000 items. The building was named
in honor of Thomas C. Donnelly, President of New Mexico Highlands University
(1952 -1970). |
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New Mexico Highlands University |
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1996 - The current Thomas C. Donnelly Library
An addition increased the square footage from 23,700 to 53,500
and now holds a book collection of almost 200,000 volumes. The university
regents asked L. Richard Dawson from Van H. Gilbert Architects to include
the Romanesque Style in the design. |
©
New Mexico Highlands University |
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Information about the
library from
The Library Book by Cate M. Fitzmaurice
copyright © 1997 by New Mexico Highlands University. |
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