On This Day: April 2, 1990

Today’s feature in our On This Day series takes us to the opening of the west wing of Shields Library which occurred twenty five years ago on April 2, 1990. The 140,000 square foot addition was designed by architects Simon Martin-Vegue Winkelstein Morris. The dedication ceremony occurred on October 19, 1990 and included a speech by Gary Snyder.

This year also marks another anniversary for the Shields Library building. It was seventy-five years ago (on March 22, 1940) that the first wing of the building opened. The north wing of the Library, which includes the Main Reading Room, cost $265,750 to build and was funded by the Public Works Administration.

Our exhibit, Diamond Jubilee of the Shields Library Building: 1940-2015, provides more information about the history of the building. Additional information can be found on the Library Centennial website.

Here is a photograph of the library staff outside the west wing shortly after it opened in 1990.

Library staff outside the west wing of Peter J. Shields Library, 1990