Students, faculty, staff and members of the Charlottesville community gathered Wednesday in the Small Special Collections Library to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Alderman Library.
Presented by the Library Student Council, the celebration featured Dean of Students Allen Groves, University History Officer Alexander “Sandy” Gilliam Jr. and University Librarian Karin Wittenborg. Third-year College student Greg Irving, a Library Council member, was one of the organizers of the event.
The commemorating presentation was divided into three parts: Alderman’s past, present and future. Gilliam, a 1955 College graduate, spoke at the event of his long history with the library.
“When Greg asked me to do this speech, I accepted with alacrity,” Gilliam said. “Because I have to admit to be an Alderman freak. I have been since I was a student.”
Named after former University President Edwin Alderman, the library was approved for construction in 1935 as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. During his time as president, Alderman pressed for the construction of a new library. University President John Lloyd Newcomb’s administration finally developed the plans for Alderman Library and oversaw its construction, beginning in December of 1936.
The stacks on the north side were added in 1967, Gilliam said, after existing libraries on Grounds ran out of shelving space.
Gilliam entertained the audience with a retelling of the legend of spirits who roam Alderman Library. According to Gilliam, these ghosts are not to be feared, and are mostly thought of as benign. One of the two “ghosts of Alderman” is thought to be Dr. Bennett Wood Green, a Confederate surgeon whose books were donated to the library after his death in 1913. Green’s texts were kept in the Rotunda, but when his books moved to Alderman Library, his spirit is said to have “moved” with them.
The other ghost is said to be that of Muscoe Russell Hunter Garnett, a member of the Board of Visitors from 1855 to 1859.
But a ghost “sighting” has not been reported for about 60 years, Gilliam said.
Recalling his time spent in Alderman as a University Law student, Groves said the 300,000 square-foot library serves as a home both for 3 million books and for student life.
“I have been lost in Alderman Library, multiple times, and a student had to lead me out,” Groves joked. “In terms of the role it plays at [the University], it is a remarkable space.”
Wittenborg, who first became involved with Alderman in 1993, discussed some more recent renovations to Alderman, including Alderman Café, the first café to be constructed in a University academic space. She stressed the importance of achieving a varied environment for students to work in, a place where solitary readers can study and groups can meet to work on projects.
Wittenborg said further renovations for Alderman Library are planned to take place within the next two years.
“Most people find the smell of coffee and the comfortable seats very endearing,” Wittenborg said. “I want to make Alderman and other University libraries a place where students feel welcome.”
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