Untitled Document

THE DENKMAN MEMORIAL LIBRARY

AUGTJSTANA COLLEGE AND THEOLOGICAL

SEMINARY

By Marcus Skarstedt Librarian

ORGANIZATION AND RAPID GROWTH

The history of the library of Angustana College and Theological Seminary is closely connected with that of the institution itself. The library was established In the fall of 1860, at, Paxton, Illinois, where the institution was then located, but made no very rapid progress until about the third year of its existence when it received from Charles XV, then king of Sweden, a gflt of about 5,000 volumes, chiefly historical works in Swedish, Latin, French and other languages.

Some time later the library was again remembered by friends of Augustana at Upsala , Sweden , who contributed both books and funds for purchasing books. These and other gifts together with other small appropriations so increased the number of books in the library that in l870 ten years after its beginning it numbered nearly 7.000 volumes. There is little of interest to say in regard to the growth of the library from that time to this, except that it has always been exceedingly fortunate in having friends wlio have gladly done their best to help along by gifts, a library that has always suffered for wain of adequate funds. In later years the library has received a great deal of valuable scientific exchange material in return for its own publication!?, begun through the efforts of Dr. J. A, Udden, former Augustana professor of natural sciences. At present the library iimuwrs about 30,000 volumes

DENKMAN MEMORIAL

The library has for a number of years been located in the upper story, west wing of tne large college building. and has suffered more and more for lack of space as the library increased. It is now. however, permannently located in a magnificent new library building, recently erected by the heirs of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. A. Denkman. and presented by them to Augustana College as a splendid memorial to their parents.

The building is a modern adaptation of the Italian renaissance., built of Missouri limestone of a beautiful texture and es- tremely hard quality. The foundation is of concrete and the roof is of tile. The building is of the ordinary "T" shape, the back portion being given up exclusively to stack rooms, seminary rooms, and the administrative offices. The large reading room in the front of the building measures sixty feet by one hundred and twenty feet, and is pronounced one of the most beautiful reading rooms in rhe country. Above the reading room is a large museum, and below the reading room are located the administrative

Historic Encyclopedia of Illinois

Illinois ancestors

120706