Loyola’s First Online Catalog and Library Databases

University Librarian Ellen Waite worked with the library staff to bring up LUIS, the library online catalog, by 1987.  This was quickly followed by the acquisition of databases (indexes, INDY) in the social sciences, sciences and humanities so that print indexes to find articles and other resources were gradually replaced.  The libraries celebrated their acquisition of one million volumes to the collection in 1990.  It was expected that within the next 15 years the library collection would be doubled.  But the situation regarding print materials was changing.  With the advent of databases and the Web with possibilities for digital collections and expanded interlibrary loan, librarians were beginning to emphasize access rather than ownership.  Library funds traditionally spent on print books and journals were now also being spent for databases, e-books and e-journals.

 

First E-mail Accounts

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In 1990, the library staff members were given e-mail accounts and instructions on how to use listserves.  By this time most of the librarians had computers and, therefore, when Mosaic came up as the first widely used browser, the librarians joined IT in instructing faculty and students on how to use the Net. Netscape replaced Mosaic and this was quickly followed by Internet Explorer.  Continual updates for computers and new computers to replace old ones became an expected and welcome service from IT (Information Technology), later named ITS, Information Technology Services.

 

 Mallinckrodt Campus

Father Raymond Baumhart, S.J., president of Loyola University Chicago 1970-1993, entered an agreement with Mallinckrodt College in Wilmette in 1990 to lease its building for ten years with an option to purchase it at the end of that time.  The School of Education moved to Mallinckrodt in 1995 and, therefore, the library collection supporting education including new general reference resources were moved to Malinckrodt.  Librarians and support staff also moved to Wilmette and a new Director of Malinckrodt Library was hired.  This arrangement lasted six years and then the School of Education returned to the Water Tower Campus in 2001.  Loyola bought the Mallinckrodt College building in 2000 but decided to sell it the next year.

 

 Mundelein College Becomes Part of Loyola

President Baumhart negotiated with Mundelein College in 1991 to assume its debt and integrate most of the Mundelein faculty into the Loyola Academic Departments.  The Learning Resource Center (library) also became a part of Loyola and the Loyola library administrators decided to make that facility the Loyola Science Library with a staff of five librarians.

 

 New Building at Water Tower Campus

A new building located at 25 East Pearson was added to Loyola University’s growing Water Tower Campus in 1994.  The Lewis Towers Library was relocated to the sixth through twelfth floors of this new building for a total of 95,000 square feet.  University Librarian Ellen Waite’s office was in the new building on the seventh floor. as was the office of Diane Graves, AUL for Collection Development.  David Nutty, AUL for Public Services, had his office in the Science Library, and Edward Warro, AUL for Loyola Libraries, had his office in Cudahy Library.  

 

 University Librarian becomes Vice President

At this high point in Loyola libraries history, Ellen Waite was appointed Vice President for Academic Services and University Libraries in 1994.  But Loyola’s financial situation was changing.  There were fewer undergraduates coming to Loyola and the endowments were shrinking.  Ms. Waite held this position until she left Loyola in 1996.  Edward Warro was appointed Acting Dean of Libraries from 1996-1997 and then became the Dean of Libraries in 1997.  He remained in that position until 2001. 

 

Fr. Garanzini Becomes President

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When Fr. John Piderit, S.J., Loyola’s president from 2004-2001, left Loyola, a search committee identified and recommended Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J., who became the next Loyola president in 2001.  The library administration offices were moved from the 25 East Pearson building 7^th floor to Cudahy Library and the offices vacated on 7^th floor were taken over by university administration.

 

 National Tragedy of 9/11

In 2001, the 9/11 tragedy occurred when terrorists flew two passenger transport planes into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington DC, and one, intended for the U.S. Capitol or White House, crashed in Pennsylvania. Loyola University Chicago, along with the rest of the country, mourned the loss of life of those innocent civilians and security became a major concern. While the libraries had been giving ready access to the community living near Loyola, they now imposed stringent restrictions on anyone wanting to enter the libraries except Loyola faculty, students and staff with Loyola IDs. 

 

Financial Problems

As mentioned above during the late 1990s the financial situation at Loyola greatly deteriorated.  Budgets were flat in 2001 and Acting Dean of Libraries Karla Petersen said she would not make any changes that year.  She was appointed the Dean of Libraries toward the end of 2001. It turned out that money for the library was scarce for several more years. 

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Library Positions Lost

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According to Assistant Dean for Public Services Stephen Macksey the September 12^th issue of The Phoenix contained an interview with Karla Petersen.  Karla was quoted accurately in much of the article, he stated, but the information on staff reductions was incorrect.  The article correctly stated that the government documents assistant position was eliminated, and that the University Archivist and Science Library circulation librarian positions were reduced to part-time.    Macksey further stated: “The article did not mention three other vacant positions which were eliminated last spring: the Associate Dean, a Systems programmer, and a grade 35 Acquisitions assistant.  The Phoenix article also incorrectly stated that two other positions were cut last spring: the Lewis Library reference librarian position and the Bindery assistant.  These positions are on hold; they are not being filled at this time, but they have not been eliminated” (Library Newsletter online Sept 2001).  In 2003 the position of Cudahy Reference Assistant was eliminated and in 2004 a cataloger’s position was eliminated in an effort to balance the library budget.

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Science Library Becomes the Student Assistance Center

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Early in 2004 President Garanzini said that he wanted to make the Science Library space in the Sullivan Center a Student Assistance Center.  Therefore, the Science Library collection was combined with the Cudahy collection during the semester break, 2004-2005.  Books from both collections that had not circulated for seven years were boxed and shipped to the lower level of the Sullivan Center which was designated as the LSF (Library Storage Facility).  Later compact shelving was purchased so that more volumes could be placed there.  The former Science Library space was remodeled and became the Student Assistance Center.  Three librarians from the Science Library left Loyola to take positions at other libraries.

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Karla Petersen announced in early 2005 that she planned to retire in the fall of 2005.  A search committee was formed and three candidates were brought in for interviews.  Subsequently, Robert Seal was chosen and he became the Dean of Libraries with his office in Cudahy Library, October 2005. 

 

The Information Commons

Plans for an Information Commons (IC) to be built south of Cudahy Library, initiated by President Garanzini, began even before Robert Seal came to Loyola.  But Dean of Libraries Robert Seal became the driving force to bring this vision to a reality.  The IC was erected in the space known as the Jesuit lawn on the shores of Lake Michigan.  That lawn was directly east of the Jesuit residence, formerly an administration building when Loyola became a university in 1909.  The new building links to the historic section (1939) of the Cudahy Library by an atrium and café that serves as an entrance to the complex. On the south side the IC is connected to Madonna della Strada Chapel.

 

 Leslie Haas, Director of IC 

Because of Dean Seal’s experience with an information commons at Texas Christian University, he headed the IC Team from October 2005 to make the IC a reality at Loyola by late fall 2007. In August 2007 Leslie Haas was appointed Director of the Information Commons and became part of the IC Team. The dedication of the IC was held on December 7, 2007.   The building was then closed and the IC would be completed and re-opened the beginning of spring semester, January 14, 2008.

 

 Reference Offices Moved

Jeannette Pierce had become the Head of Reference at Cudahy Library in December, 2006.  Because the reference offices space was planned as part of the connecting passage  through Cudahy Library that would lead to the Information Commons, the reference offices were relocated to the south section of the library closer to the IC.  This section had been the D’Arcy Gallery or Museum of Art from 1969 to 2005 when a new Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) was constructed at Lewis Towers, Water Tower Campus.  Ms Pierce designated an office close to the Cudahy Reference desk for “Term Paper and Project Assistance” that reference librarians began to use for library consultation with students and faculty.  When the IC was completed, the Library Consultation Room on the second floor near the Information/Reference Desk was used by the librarians for in depth assistance of students and faculty for their research needs.

 

Dedication of the Information Commons

We conclude this history of Loyola’s libraries with the dedication of the IC, a four-story academic building, on December 7^th. The IC is a joint project of the library and information technology.  It is all glass on the east side facing Lake Michigan and all glass on the west side facing what will be the green space of the quadrangle of Lake Shore Campus buildings.  The IC “harnesses wind, sunlight, and people’s own body heat to cut energy consumption in half.  Sensors monitor the climate indoors and out and make adjustment to maximize efficiency—raising blinds, opening closing vents, and running warm and cold water through pipes embedded in the concrete ceilings.” (Dedication booklet).  At the dedication ceremony President Garanzini declared that the IC would be the center of the University.  The major donor for the IC was Richard J. Klarchek and therefore the building is named The Richard J. Klarchek Information Commons. 

Library--Heart of the University 

As Dean of Libraries Robert Seal stated in his speech at the dedication: “The Klarcheck Information Commons represents, symbolically and literally, a dramatic change occurring in higher education toward more interactive, collaborative learning in which libraries and technology play an increasingly important, indeed vital role. The now familiar phrase, the library is the heart of the university, is never more true than it is here in 2007.”  The IC won the Silver Level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification as the building is designed and constructed according to green standards.  It serves as a model for future green buildings nationwide.

 

Visitors Welcomed

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The restricted entrance to the libraries that had been imposed since 9/11/01 was now lifted so that anyone with a picture ID was permitted to enter the libraries during the day hours.  Because the magnificent Information Commons is unique as one of the first energy-saving, environmentally friendly buildings in the country, and librarians collaborating with information technologists working together side by side, many visitors wanted to come to Loyola to see it.

 (Continued on center box near the end)

 

This guide is a draft of the History of Loyola Libraries begun by Sister Rita Stalzer, CSJ,  It will be filled in with more facts and events as other librarians have time to contribute to the project.

Origins

The history of Cudahy Library and Lewis Library at Loyola University Chicago begins in 1870 when St. Ignatius College, 12^th Street and May, Chicago, Illinois, was granted a charter as a college.  The college building itself was erected in 1869 and the charter was granted in 1870 by the State of Illinois to confer all the usual degrees in the various faculties of an institution of higher education.

 

Early “Librarians”

From the annual catalogues of the College we learn that the first person appointed as librarian was Rev. J. G. Venneman, S.J., from 1870-1872.  He was also a professor of English and German.  Thereafter, various professors were appointed librarian, usually for a year or two although sometimes they were appointed for three to four years.  By 1876, the librarian, Mr. P. J. Van Loco, wrote an article for the college catalogue stating that, through gifts of friends and benefactors, the library contained 10,000 volumes.  The volumes comprised many rare and valuable works.  He wrote: “There are 80 volumes printed between1500-1600 and 294 volumes between 1600-1700.”  Mr. Van Loco, became Rev. P. J. Van Loco, S.J., by 1877 and remained librarian and French teacher until 1880, after which the practice of assigning a different professor as librarian every year or two continued.

 

First Library Handbook

From the first handbook of the Elizabeth M Cudahy Memorial Library by Helen Virginia Tompkins, 1937, we learn more about the early history of the collection.  She writes, “St. Ignatius College began accepting students September 5, 1870 with a library so small it was housed in a single room in an old T shaped building on West 12^th Street.”  In the 1880’s an adjoining room was added and about 15 years later a third room.  Fr. Arnold J. Garvey was librarian for 11 years, the longest term in the history of the library.  Fr. Garvey completed the Dewey decimal system catalogue, increased the number of volumes in the collection to about 38,000, organized a pamphlet collection and improved the efficiency of the library.  

 

Move to Lake Shore Campus

St. Ignatius College grew in size and importance so that in 1906 land was bought at the present location of Loyola’s Lakeshore Campus in Rogers Park.  By 1909 the first building with classrooms, Dumbach Hall, had been erected on the site. Also in 1909, Loyola was re-chartered as a university.  The first university classes opened in 1912 and library books were moved from the site on Roosevelt Road to the new location on Lake Shore Campus in the administration building (later the Jesuit Residence).

 

According to the description given by Helen Tompkins, the books bundled off to the north side campus numbered an estimated 70,000 volumes, but must have included U S depository items.  The library had become a U S depository library in 1896.  The library accession books showed only 35, 567 volumes.

 

Librarian from 1918-1946

Rev. William Kane, S.J., became the librarian in 1918.  When Cudahy Library was erected in 1930, Fr. Kane was given the title of Director of the Library and remained in that position until his death in 1946.  By the end of the 1920s, it was evident that a separate library building was desirable for the growing library collection.  In the early years of the library gifts accounted for the larger part of the library’s growth.  

 

The budget for the library in 1929 indicated the following salaries: the librarian received $3,300; reference librarian, $2,000; cataloger $2,000; loan assistant $1,400; student help $1,800; Library of Congress cards, $500.  

 

Classification Systems

As early as 1929, the Loyola librarians considered adopting the Library of Congress classification system and converting the Dewey decimal books to LC call numbers.  The idea was at first embraced by Rev. R. M. Kelley, Loyola President, and the work had already begun in 1930.  By July 1935, Fr. Kelley wrote a letter to Librarian Fr. Kane that because of the extra expense and trouble, the Library Board had decided against LC and favored the Dewey decimal classification.  The actual change to LC classification came much later in 1968 when James Cox was the Director of Libraries.

 

The Cudahys

Edward Cudahy was the greatest benefactor.  He began his gifts in 1929 with the construction of the building which was completed in 1930.  Edward Cudahy wanted the library to be known as the Elizabeth M. Cudahy Memorial Library in honor of his wife. She was present for the dedication. The library was fully equipped and endowed for perpetual maintenance.  The cost of the construction of the library was $300,000.

 

Open Stacks/ Closed Stacks

When the library collection was moved from the administration building into the new facility in 1930, there was no catalogue. It seems the original catalogue created by Fr. Garvey had not been kept up.  Therefore, “open shelves” was the practice.  This practice apparently led to the loss of an estimated one-third of the collection between 1930 and 1937.  In June 1937, an inventory gave the count of 64,236 volumes.  Realizing that the open stacks practice was being abused, the librarians introduced the policy of “closed stacks.”  Faculty and some graduate students (with permission of the librarian) were allowed into the stacks area but the other students needed to have the books brought to them.  Undergraduate students were allowed to borrow three books, graduate students five; there was no limit placed on faculty loans.  Fines for reserve books were $.25 a day.  “No hats, overcoats, brief cases or bottles of ink” were permitted in the reading room.

 

Design of Cudahy Library

The Cudahy Memorial Library (1930) was designed by Andrew N. Rebori of the architectural firm of Rebori, Wentworth, Dewey and McCormick. In contrast to the classical style of other buildings on the Lake Shore campus, Rebori designed an Art Deco building.  The library is constructed of concrete and structural steel with an exterior of limestone.   The interior walls consist of Mankato stone. 

 

A highlight of the Cudahy Library is the main reading room.  A concrete monolithic arched ceiling, stained glass windows throughout by Giannini and Hilgart, and a mural by artist, John Warner Norton (1876-1934).  This noted Chicago artist, who also taught at the School of the Art institute of Chicago, is known for his mural such as Ceres (1930) in the Chicago Board of Trade Building and for collaborating with architects such as Holabird, Root and Frank Lloyd Wright.  His mural painting on the west wall of the library reading room was conceived as “a pictorial cartographical record of Jesuit missionary activity in the Great Lakes Region and the Upper Mississippi Valley during the 17^th and 18^th centuries.”

 

The original ornate exterior features a frieze of Latin names of subject of study.  Located over the doors of the main entrance (south side of the building) is a bronze sunburst symbolizing that books are the morning light to those seeking knowledge.  To the left of the doors is a tower with a sun dial inscribed with A.M.D.G., the Jesuit motto, “For the greater glory of God.”  The original layout of the library consisted of one level with five floors of stack decks.

 

Size of the Collection

During the initial planning of the library Frederic Siedenburg, S.J., Dean of the School of Sociology, suggested that three of the original decks should be eliminated.  He stated that it would be another 50 years before the library would need space for 250,000 volumes. It was good that his suggestion was never acted upon because a 1946 library inventory shows that the collection grew by 68,000 volumes since the opening for a total of 112,271 volumes. The number of volumes had almost doubled within that span of years and continued to double in size about every 15 years thereafter.

 

Librarians as Teachers

The librarian, William T. Kane, S.J. and the assistant librarian, Eva Perry, taught a summer school course in Library Methods during the 1930’s.  The course was “intended for sisters and teachers who are acting as school librarians or getting ready for such work.”

 

Plan to Centralize the Collections

In December of 1931, Fr. Kane held a meeting of the library staffs of the Lake Shore, Downtown, Dental, Law and Medical Libraries, and told them that President Fr. Kelley wanted all the departmental libraries to be drawn into one single university library.  He said that untrained staff would be given help and guidance in their work in the central library which would be at the Lake Shore.  A union catalogue would be created.  Because of impending insistence by standardizing agencies that librarians have technical training, Fr. Kane suggested that the staff prepare to meet this demand by taking summer courses and/or correspondence courses.  There was some objection to the proposal of one central library because of the distance between Lake Shore campus and the professional libraries.  Eventually the other libraries continued to exist as separate entities.

 

The Library Council

In the early 1930’s there was already a Library Council consisting of the Faculty Director, representing the president of the University, as Chairman and five members of the faculty appointed by the president.  This Council “will consider the plans and policies recommended by the faculty Director and the Librarian and will advise them in the administration of the library.  All books shall be purchased and subscriptions to magazines and periodicals determined under the approval of the Council.”

 

The Depression

In a report of July 1931 to Dec. 1932, it was recorded that there were many unpaid fines due to the depression.  Also, the budget approved for 1932-1933 was $18,246.15 as contrasted with $20,030.00 for the previous year.

 

Importance of a Jesuit Librarian

In a policy document dated 1931, it was stated that “the librarian shall be a Jesuit priest appointed by the Rector of the Jesuit Community.”    The other staff members will be called library assistants.  “Calling them librarians leads to swelled heads and insubordination.”  Miss Ryan, who had been Assistant Librarian and had begun to classify new books in the LC classification, was dismissed in 1932 and Miss Eva Perry became Assistant Librarian.   When Fr. Kane became ill and died in 1946, Fr. Homer Mattlin, S.J., was appointed the director of the library in 1947.  Fr. Mattlin also taught a bibliographic research class for the Department of English.

 

The Jesuit Library Association

Fr. Mattlin was among the first eleven Jesuit librarians who met in Detroit on April 19, 1949, to form the first Jesuit Library Association.  He was asked to be the secretary and to edit the Bulletin that would provide contact among the members of the new organization.  Besides the 11 founders, there were 19 other Jesuit librarians who were interested in becoming members but were unable to attend the first meeting.  Genevieve Delana and Dorothy Watters were on the Cudahy Library staff and attended the third annual Jesuit Library Conference in 1952 with Fr. Mattlin during the 25^th Annual Conference of the Catholic Library Association.

 

Faculty Status for Librarians

As early as 1954, the Jesuit Library Association recommended to all Jesuit college and university administrators that faculty status and rank (without the customary faculty titles) be given to all professional personnel in their libraries.  This recommendation was carried out for the Loyola librarians by 1955.

 

The Union Catalog

During the course of the years, the collections of the Medical Library, Law Library and the Downtown (Lewis Towers) libraries had grown and were no longer a part of the central Cudahy Library but were maintained at separate locations and with separate card catalogs.  So when Fr. Mattlin was Director, he recommended to Fr. Joseph M. Egan, President of Loyola University, that a union catalog to include both Lewis Towers Library and Cudahy Library be created.  The recommendation was accepted and after that decision was made, both libraries maintained a union catalog including the holdings at both locations.

 

Chicago Province Divides

When the Jesuits’ Chicago Province divided to create the Detroit Province in 1954, Fr. Mattlin remained Director of Libraries at Loyola for five years. In June 1959 Fr. Mattlin left Loyola and the Chicago Province to become the Director of Libraries at the University of Detroit in the Detroit Province.  Mr. James Cox who was a member of the Cudahy Library staff was promoted to the position of Director of Libraries at Loyola. The following year Fr. Mattlin suffered from a fast growing malignant brain tumor which caused his death in Detroit, September 19, 1960. 

James Cox Director of Libraries 1960-1971

A Committee on the Library Self-Study was formed in November, 1962, with the stated purpose to determine whether or not the library was showing healthy growth.  Mr. Cox stated that there were only seven professional librarians.  The Committee felt this was an inadequate number, especially in circulation and reference.  Regarding the book collection, it was suggested that Mr. Cox send out a questionnaire to all faculty members asking if the growth of the collection in their subject areas was more than adequate, adequate, or inadequate.  With an increased budget and more books coming into the library, Mr. Cox asked in 1964 for the construction of a new addition to the library.  Fr. James Maguire, President responded in a memo dated March 23, 1964, that he felt such construction should be deferred until attempts to get federal assistance had been made.

 

New Addition to Cudahy Library

 A request for bids on the Cudahy Library addition began in October 19, 1966.  Groundbreaking was set for sometime between December 1 and December 15, 1966.  Also, Lewis Towers Library began remodeling by January 1967. (Letter from Maguire to faculty Oct., 1966.)

 

The addition to the library was actually begun in 1967 designed by the firm of Barry and Kay.  This addition added 86,000 square feet to the original 34,000 square feet of the 1930s building, including three more stories.  New features included the installation of open stacks, a rare book room and air conditioning.  The addition of an open stacks area beside the original closed stacks made it easier for students to access the library collection.  The Martin D’Arcy Gallery of Art was also established in 1969 and located in the original building in the south wing. The new addition to the Elizabeth M. Cudahy Memorial Library was dedicated June 3, 1969. 

Requests for Faculty Privileges

In a letter to Mr. Cox from Dr. Kokora, July 19, 1969, requested a desired action on the part of the library.  For the new faculty orientation, Dr. Kokora wanted to announce that faculty who identify themselves with a faculty ID have free access to the library shelves and may borrow books on indefinite loan.  Also, the faculty would have access to other Chicago libraries including the Newberry Library and may borrow books from the Midwest Inter-library Corporation (later known as the Center for Research Libraries).  Faculty can also make an unlimited number of photocopies without cost.  Mr. Cox accommodated most of these suggestions but said that instead of free photocopies for faculty, they would be charged $.05 for each exposure.  (Library Board Minutes, 1970)

 

 LC Classification

The change from classifying new library books in Library of Congress class rather than Dewey Decimal began in 1968.  The conversion of the existing books from Dewy to LC was also begun with an estimate of ten years to complete the job.  However, the plan was abandoned after five years when the vast number of new books received made it difficult to continue the conversion of older books.  The decision was made to operate the library with the two systems of classification.

 

Student Protests

During the late 60’s and early 70’s the students at colleges and universities throughout the country were staging protests regarding the war in Vietnam.  Loyola University and Mundelein College, both faculty and students, went on strike from Wednesday, May 6, 1970 to Monday. May 11, 1970.  They were not on strike against their institutions but against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and Southeast Asia and especially later, the massacre of four students who were protesting at Kent State University.  Some Loyola librarians, including Sr. Rita Stalzer, CSJ, also joined the protest and walked with the Loyola and Northwestern University students and faculty down Sheridan Road holding signs of protest.  It was a peaceful march.

 

Director of Libraries James Cox Resigns

In 1971 there was a library self-study that revealed inadequate services and collections.  Some discontent from Loyola faculty members regarding the library administration and services became evident. Also, the University had become more research oriented.  They recommended that a search committee be appointed to look for a PhD candidate for the position of Director of Libraries. 

 

Accordingly, Dr. Matre, then Senior Vice President and Dean of Faculties, sent a letter to Mr. Cox alerting him to the fact that a search committee had been formed to bring in candidates with the PhD degree for the position of Director of Libraries.  Mr. Cox would be given a year’s sabbatical to take graduate library science courses at the University of Chicago and would be assured of a position within the Loyola library system when he returned to Loyola. So Mr. Cox resigned as Director of Libraries.

Robert Ennen, PhD, becomes Director of Libraries

The result of the search was the hiring of Dr. Robert Ennen as Director of Libraries.  He came to Loyola in January 1972 and remained until his untimely death in March 1983.

Computer Age Begins at Cudahy

Cataloging began to use symbols to prepare for machine readable records in 1972 and by January 1975 OCLC terminals were installed in Cudahy Library.  Loyola cataloging records were now available to libraries throughout the nation, plus Loyola had access to the thousands, later millions of records input by academic libraries into the OCLC online system. The librarians were now using computers in their daily work.

 

Subject Specialist System

During his administration, Dr. Ennen set up a subject specialist system which required librarians to get a second master degree in a subject area.  These subject specialists were not only the contact people with the academic departments, but also bibliographers, reference librarians, instructors and catalogers in their areas of expertise.  There was no separate reference department, but a paraprofessional sat at an information/reference desk and fielded questions to appropriate subject specialists as the occasions arose. The subject bibliographers plus the head of technical services and the head of public services met with Dr. Ennen monthly to discuss services and collections and to set policies.

 

One policy was that students from post-secondary institutions could apply for reference privileges for a fee of $10 per week or $60 per semester.  Faculty of these institutions were eligible for free access and reference privileges but for borrowing privileges they could apply for a fee of $100 per semester. (January 20, 1975 memo from Roy Fry to Dr. Ennen.)

 

Library Security Issues

In 1974 it became apparent that books and periodicals had been disappearing from the collection.  Therefore, a policy was immediately implemented to put in place security measures.  This involved students and faculty entering the library to show their IDs and to allow a guard at the entrance to examine their bags as they left the library.

In a memo dated March 4, 1975 from Dr. Douglas White, then chair of the Academic Council, to Dr. Matre, a relaxation of this policy was requested.  The proposed new policy would allow students and the community to enter the library freely until 5 PM.  Student and faculty IDs would be presented only after 5 PM.  Since it was a matter of record that the number of books and periodicals lost during 1974-1975 substantially decreased, Dr. Ennen accepted the proposed new policy and said the librarians would continue to monitor the situation. The policy of annual physical return of Library Books by faculty was begun in 1974. 

Running Out of Space

Dr. Ennen requested an addition to the library as early as 1975 and again in 1981 he suggested the necessity of adding two more floors to Cudahy Library to accommodate the increased number of students, books and periodicals.  (Library Board Minutes, Nov. 16, 1981.) However, he was not able to win the approval of the university administration.  Also, he tried for an online catalog to replace the card catalog.  But again Ennen could not get sufficient funds from the university administration.

 

When Dr. Ennen died suddenly (massive stroke) in March 1983, (Annual Report of the Library Board 1982-1983), the members of the Board expressed their sadness regarding his sudden death.  They also discussed briefly the effect of his death on the recent proposal to have the university library system studied by outside consultants.

 

Changes in the Library

 A few months later an evaluation team of consultants was called in to review the strengths and weaknesses of the library and to make recommendations.  Then a search committee was appointed and the result was the hiring of Dr. Mary K. Cronin.  Dr. Cronin came to Loyola in 1984 and almost immediately called in a consultant, Ms. Ellen Waite, to conduct a workshop for the library staff in preparation for an online catalog.  Since most of Loyola library records were in machine-readable form for OCLC, it was a logical progression to the online catalog of library records of Cudahy, Lewis, Law, and Medical libraries.  Ellen Waite was then offered the position of Assistant Director of the Library.

 

Dr. Cronin remained at Loyola about two years and during this time established a separate reference department and cataloging department.  She continued to work toward an online catalog.  When Dr. Cronin left Loyola, Ms. Ellen Waite became the Director of Libraries in 1986.  At this time, the title was changed from Director of Libraries to University Librarian and Ms. Waite appointed Mr. Edward Warro as Associate University Librarian for Loyola Libraries, Mr. Thomas McNally as Assistant University Librarian for Public Services, and Ms. Karla Petersen as Assistant University Librarian for Techincal Services.

(Continued on left side bar)

Having passed through difficult financial years and changes in the way information and research are undertaken, the libraries have risen to new expectations and potential successes.  The IC consists mostly of computers, digital equipment, classrooms, study areas and research centers.  The books remain in Cudahy Library and the Library Storage Facility on Lakeshore campus.  The books in the Lewis Library at the Water Tower Campus are at present being weeded and low use volumes placed in storage.  Two floors have been re-organized to make way for more reading and study space.  The Lewis Library and its collection will eventually be moved to a new building on State Street.

 

Loyola libraries remain committed to assist in the scholarship, learning and development of our students in a beautiful environment.  The libraries continue to support the mission of our Chicago Jesuit Catholic University – “a diverse community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith.”

Sister Rita Stalzer, CSJ, Loyola University Reference Department, 2008.

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