The Original Norlin Library, 1940

In 1937, the state legislature passed the first academic building mill levy since 1917. President Norlin chose a new library building as the first item on the list. In 1938, Ralph Ellsworth began planning his first library building with notable campus architect Charles Klauder. The new library was to be the largest library building between Chicago and the west coast, and was to be named in honor of George Norlin, President of the University from 1919 to 1939. The doors of Norlin Library officially opened on January 6, 1940. Norlin Library became the central building in a campus-wide system, with additions to the structure in 1964 and 1976. This image from the Publication Services Photograph Collection shows first iteration of Norlin Library. You may recognize the covered eastern facade that now forms the "fish bowl" behind Norlin's circulation desk.

On June 6, 2018 the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries will celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Archives. This is story #3 in our series:100 Stories for 100 Years from the Archives!