J. Willard Marriott Library records, 1962-1981

The J. Willard Marriott Library is the main library for the University of Utah. The collection dates as far back as the earliest donations to the University, many of which were books. The early collection grew from substantial donations from both University President John R. Park as well as volumes transferred from the Utah Territorrial Library. The University Library moved several times with the University itself. When the University gained a campus on the East bench of Salt Lake City in 1901, the Library was first housed in what is now known as the Cowles Building. When the Park Building was finished more than a decade later, the Library moved to occupy the top two floors. In 1935, a growing collection once again made necessary a separate building and the George Thomas Library was constructed on University Circle (now Presidents Circle). This building was thought to be sufficent for fifty years. Problems soon arose when the unexpected consequences of World War II led to the rapid expansion of the University and left the Thomas Library on the periphery of campus. The additional needs of the growing student population demanded more books which the Thomas Library did not have space for. As a result, planning for a new library went forward. After several years of petitioning the Utah State Legislature, funding was received. The new library was to be built in the center of the growing campus and emphasized flexibility in space use and open stacks that patrons could browse (whereas the Thomas Library stacks were closed to the public). Construction began in 1965 and was finished in 1967. On 3 January 1968, Governor Calivn Rampton opened the doors of the University of Utah Learning Center and Library. The Learning Center and Library was over three times larger than the Thomas Library and had cost $6 million, with half of the cost being paid through student fees. The empty space of the library would soon be filled when in 1969, J. Willard Marriott donated $1 million to buy books. In gratitude the University renamed the building the J. Willard Marriott Library. The fund was used within five years and helped the library expand quickly to meet the needs of the growing research university. Other technological improvements were made in the 1970s including the introduction of computerized catalogs and the book detection gate. The Marriott Library grew very crowded in the 1980s as space became short and another campaign to get money for expansion began. Finally, in 1994 construction began on an expansion wing and was finished in 1996. In 2002 it was discovered that the original 1967 building was terribly unsafe due to seismic weakness and a rennovation began in 2005.