Amherst College. Library

• 1821 - 1823 : Joseph Estabrook, Professor Latin and Greek, Librarian
• 1821: Alexandrian and Athenian Societies, student literary societies, established; society libraries soon follow
• 1822: Library located in North College, 4th floor room
• 1823 - 1824 : Zenas Clapp, Tutor and Librarian
• 1824 - 1827 : Samuel M. Worcester, Professor and Librarian
• 1827: First library catalog published
• 1827 - 1853 : Library located in Johnson Chapel, 3rd floor
• 1827 - 1852 : Ebenezer Snell (AC 1822), Professor and Librarian
• 1831: Substantial increase to the Library because of John Tappan gift of $500
• 1836: Athenian Society publishes catalog
• 1844: Sears Fund of Literature and Benevolence established
• 1850: Library holdings are approximately 6,000 volumes
• 1851 - 1965 : Memorabilia Room established
• 1852 - 1863 : Lucius Boltwood (AC 1843) named first full-time Librarian
• 1853: New building opens, houses library; later named Morgan Hall
• 1855: Library holdings are approximately 12,000 volumes; Second library catalog published; second Athenian Society catalog also published
• 1863: Julius H. Seelye, Teacher and Librarian (without pay)
• 1864 - 1878 : William Montague (AC 1855), Librarian, Registrar, and Professor of French, Italian, and Spanish
• 1864: First alphabetical author card catalog
• 1867: Merger of Athenian, Alexandrian, and College libraries discussed
• 1871: Supplement to library catalog published; open hours change from 3 hours/week to 6 hours/day except closed Sunday
• 1874 - 1876 : Melvil Dewey (AC 1874) Assistant Librarian, starts subject catalog on cards
• 1878: Thomas P. Field, (AC 1834) Librarian
• 1879 - 1883 : Walter Biscoe, (AC 1874) Acting Librarian
• 1883: Library expands; building named for Henry T. Morgan
• 1883 - 1911 : William I. Fletcher, Librarian
• 1885: Library holdings are approximately 43,000 volumes
• 1891 - 1905 : William I. Fletcher runs Summer course in Library Economy
• 1908: Robert S. Fletcher (AC 1897, son of W.I. Fletcher) named Assistant Librarian
• 1911 - 1939 : Robert S. Fletcher, Librarian
• 1917: Converse Memorial Library opens
• 1935 - 1939 : Henry deForest Smith, Library Director; Robert S. Fletcher on medical leave
• 1938: Addition built on Converse Memorial Library; First rare book room established in Converse addition (
• 1939 - 1970 : Newton F. McKeon (AC 1926), Library Director
• 1951 - 1978 : Hampshire Inter-Library Center (HILC) established (initially Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, later Hampshire College) to provide cooperation among the libraries
• 1964 - 1965 : Charles T. Laugher, Assistant Library Director
• 1965: Robert Frost Library opens; Friends of the Amherst College Library founded; Memorabilia Room moves from the Hitchcock Room in Morgan Hall to the Frost Library and renamed the College Archives
• 1965 - 1970 : Charles T. Laugher, Associate Library Director
• 1968: Merrill Science Library opens; Music Library opens
• 1970 - 1974 : Richard J. Cody, Librarian of the College
• 1970 - 1975 : Charles T. Laugher, Library Director
• 1971: Audio-Visual Department established in Frost Library
• 1974: Library joins OCLC for cataloging purposes (substituted Library of Congress classification system for Dewey Decimal Classification System)
• 1975 - : Willis Bridegam, Librarian of the College
• 1978: College Archives given mandate by Board of Trustees
• 1980: House libraries discontinued
• 1986: Frost C-level opens (compact shelving installed 1985; Deweys moved to C-level 1986)
• 1988: First Five College on-line catalog system (LS/2000) installed (provides access to holdings at the University of Massachusetts and Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, as well as Amherst)
• 1994: Second Five College automated library system (III) installed
• 1994: Amherst College Depository opens

From the guide to the Amherst College Library Records, 1833-1977, 1876-1933, (Amherst College Archives and Special Collections)