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A CSM Library Report in 1936 If a librarian is to serve the college well, she must have a sympathetic interest and knowledge of its history and traditions, of its purposes and aims, of its curriculum, of its faculty and student body, and of its alumni. The
library had its beginning in Territorial days at the School of Mines, which was part of
Jarvis Hall, the Episcopal University, which was established in 1868 by Bishop Randall. The first books were given by famous
engineers and scientists, who were members of the faculty.
Many priceless books were presented by Captain E. L. Berthoud and Arthur Lakes;
important Government reports were given by F. V. Hayden, who had a great interest in the
Territorial school; and also, early pioneers who had brought books across the plains by
ox-team gave volumes of Shakespeare, Milton, Bacon, and many other authors of the
world’s best literature. The library also contained scientific
works of Newton, von Humbolt, and Herschel. The treatises on philosophy included the
writings of John Stewart Mill, Swedenborg, and others.
In the catalog of the Colorado State School of Mines 1880 - 1881, we note that
“large additions have been made to the Library and chemical apparatus. Also, the school is indebted to H.M. Teller for
the regular receipt of reports from the Department of the Interior of the US
Government.” Fifty years ago, in the
catalog of 1885 - 1886, we read that, “The library comprises about 1,000 volumes of
Standard works, every department of Science being fairly represented. Additions are being constantly made.” The Library was originally located on
the first floor of Chemistry Hall, the first building on the present campus. In 1890, it was
moved to the second floor of the second building, where it had an adjoining reading room.
In 1906, when Guggenheim Hall was completed, it was moved there. The 5,000 volumes it then contained were cataloged
by Miss Mabel Schrum, the first trained librarian, who was in charge until 1914. During the last 13 years, the library
has more than doubled the number of volumes. It
now has over 35,000 volumes, and it is the largest and most complete technical library in
the Rocky Mountain region. Over 600
periodicals and serials are currently received. They
are principally in English, French, and German, although every language is represented. The Library excels in its periodical
literature. It is designated by the Research
Information Service of the National Research Council as one of the university libraries
containing the greatest number of serials abstracted by “Chemical Abstracts,”
and its rare periodicals and serials are listed in the Union List of Serials. It is also a depository for the documents of the
United States’ Geological Survey, the Bureau of Mines, the Bureau of Standards, the
United States’ Geological Survey. It also has complete files of geological
surveys and mining bureaus of the United States and foreign countries. The Colorado School of Mines has
joined with ten other educational institutions situated in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and
the Denver Public Library, to organize the Bibliographical Center for Research, Rocky
Mountain region. The scope of the Center
includes catalogs of National libraries, subject bibliographies, abstract journals, and
detailed information of the cooperating libraries and their special collections, research
material of special value locally, proceedings of learned societies, and reference sets of
which one copy or set is sufficient for the region.
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