Directors and Branch Histories
George A. Smathers Libraries History

Libraries and Collections

Original UF libraries were comprised of collections from the libraries of the following schools: East Florida Seminary, St. Petersburg Normal and Industrial School, South Florida Military and Educational College, and Florida Agricultural College and Experiment Station (most of the books came from this Lake City school). Other smaller disciplinary libraries have existed over the years, but are not listed here.

Original Libraries

  • 1905-1925 Main Library (located in Thomas Hall, then Peabody Hall)
  • 1925-1967 Main Library (Library East – first library building on campus / 1967+ See below)
  • 1905-1987 Agriculture Library (See below)

Smathers Library / Library East

  • 1925-1967 Main Library
  • 1967-1970 Undergraduate Library / College Library
  • 1970-1989 Library East
  • 1989+ Smathers Library

Library West

  • 1967-1970 Graduate Research Library
  • 1970+ Library West (2006 Renovated and Expanded)

Agriculture Library

  • 1905-1956 Agriculture Experiment Station Libary (Thomas Hall / Griffin-Floyd Hall / Rolfs Hall)
  • 1931/32-1956 Agriculture Extension Service Library (Seagle Building – off campus)
  • 1956-1987 H. Harold Hume Agriculture Library (McCarty Hall)
  • 1987+ Marston Science Library (integrated with other science libraries)

Architecture Library

  • 1925-1940 Architecture Reading Room (Peabody Hall)
  • 1940-1957 Architecture and Allied Arts Reading Room (Building E)
  • 1957+ Architecture and Fine Arts Library (Grove Hall / Architecture Building)

Biology-Geology Library

  • 1947-1956 Biology-Geology Library
  • Marston Science Library (integrated with other science libraries)

Botany Library

  • 1909-1947 Botany Library (Science Hall=Keene-Flint Hall)
  • 1947 Combined with Biology-Geology Library

Chemistry Library

  • 1923-1960 Chemistry-Pharmacy Library (Chemistry-Pharmacy Hall=Leigh Hall)
  • 1960 Pharmacy moved to Health Sciences Center Library
  • 1960-1987 Chemistry Library (Leigh Hall)
  • 1987+ Marston Science Library (integrated with other science libraries)

Education Library

  • 1911/12-1939 Education Reading Room (Peabody Hall)
  • 1939-1950 Curriculum Library (P.K. Yonge Hall=Norman Hall)
  • 1950+ Education Library (Norman Hall)

Engineering Library

  • 1912/13-1948 Engineering Library (Science Hall = Keene-Flint Hall)
  • 1948-1959 Engineering Library (Building E / Engineering Hall=Weil Hall)
  • 1959-1987 Engineering & Physics Library (Weil Hall)
  • 1987+ Marston Science Library (integrated with other science libraries)

Journalism Library

  • 1960s-2012 Journalism Reading Room / Allen H. Neuharth Journalism Library

Law Library

  • 1909-1968 Law Library
  • 1969+ Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center

Map Library

  • 1973-1987 Map Collection (Library East)
  • 1987+ Map & Imagery Library (MSL)

Medical Library

  • 1953-1956 Medical Reading Room (Main Library)
  • 1956+ Health Science Center Library (HSC)

Music Library

  • 1954-1977 Music Reading Room (Architecture Building / Music Building)
  • 1977-2012 Music Library (Music Building)

Physics Library

  • 1909-1959 Physics Library (Science Hall / Main Library)
  • 1959 Combined with Engineering Library

Science Library

  • 1987+ Marston Science Library (Combining several branch science libraries)

Zoology Library

  • 1909-1947 Zoology Library (Science Hall=Keene-Flint Hall)
  • 1947 Combined with Biology-Geology Library

Univ. Librarian / Director / Dean

  • C.A. Finley (Univ. Librarian), 1905-06
  • William S. Cawthon (Univ. Librarian), 1906-08
  • Milton Hadley (Univ. Librarian), 1908-18
  • Cora Miltimore (Univ. Librarian), 1918-37
  • Henrie May Eddy (Interim), 1937-39
  • Walter Hill (Univ. Librarian), 1939-44
  • Nelle Barmore (Interim), 1944-46
  • Vivian Prince (Interim), 1946
  • Stanley West (Director), 1946-67
  • Margaret Goggin (Interim), 1967-68
  • Annette Liles (Interim), 1968
  • Gustave Harrer (Director), 1968-84
  • Max Willocks (Interim), 1984-85
  • Dale Canelas (Director), 1985-2007
  • John Ingram (Interim), 2007
  • Judith Russell (Dean), 2007+

History by Vernon N. Kisling Jr.