#TBT in the Archives 4/16/15

Happy National Library Week! For this week's Throwback Thursday we are exploring Shippensburg's Book Walk of 1968. Declared a "college holiday," classes were cancelled on May 15, 1968 and many student and faculty volunteers helped transport books from the old library (today the Hubert Art Center) to the current building, the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, which was named in honor of President Ezra Lehman who served from 1913-1932. During the 1960s Shippensburg State College was undergoing a major transformation to update campus facilities. College expansion and book walks were a trend among other Pennsylvania schools, as Dickinson, Millersville, and Juniata all had their own book walks around the same time.

National Library Week celebration in the old library, 1960

Administrators thoughtfully planned out the big move and student volunteers were instructed to meet at certain times throughout the day between 8am and 5pm. Here, students wait in line to pick up books from the old library.

The Book Walk was a pretty big event, as seen above, with a procession of students walking across campus to the new building. Students were supervised and instructed by faculty members and refreshments were provided for the helpful volunteers.

Here, students and faculty enter the new building. Over 75,000 books were transported in just one day. Today the library houses about 350,000 books--quite an upgrade!

Library guides directed volunteers to the proper shelves to maintain organization of books by call numbers. Each student carried about six books at a time, averaging six or seven trips. The administration's strategic planning allowed for a smooth transition and the new library was only closed for three days to prepare for student use.

In the photograph above, students are hard at work, studying in the new library. The building has gone through gradual changes and renovations over the years, but still maintains some of its original charm. For more information about Ship's library, or the Book Walk, visit Archives & Special Collections. Contact us via e-mail: specialcollections@ship.edu or phone: 717-477-1516.