Library History
“The only thing that you absolutely HAVE to know is the location of the library” – Albert Einstein
The UTC Library has a proud history as the scholarly heart of campus, vital to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community.
Scroll down to discover the history of the campus library, fast facts about the current library building, environmental sustainability design features, and the historical elements constructed into the building.
A Brief History of the Campus Library at UTC
The Library has long been a central gathering place on campus, but its physical location has changed many times throughout years:
1886-1917: Old Main
Exterior of Old Main, circa 1900s.
When Chattanooga University first opened its doors in 1886, it offered a one-room library in the Old Main building, which also housed all classrooms and laboratories. This served as the campus library for 31 years.
1917-1939: Founders Hall
Exterior of Founders Hall. The library was located on the second floor of the building.
After mergers and university name changes – first to the US Grant University then to the University of Chattanooga – the Old Main building was razed in 1917. The campus library was relocated to the 2nd floor of the then-newly constructed Administration building, which was renamed Founders Hall in 1950. The library would remain in this location for 22 years.
1939-1974: John Storrs Fletcher Library
Circa 1940s postcard depicting the exterior of the Chattanooga Public Library, which also housed the University Library.
The third location of the university library opened in the Spring of 1940 and was a shared building with the Chattanooga Public Library. In 1961, the library was renamed the John Storrs Fletcher Library in honor of late trustee and legal counsel for the university. The building was named Fletcher Hall, and it currently houses the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.
1974-2014: T. Cartter and Margaret Rawlings Lupton Library
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga postcard featuring Lupton Library, circa 1980.
Revitalized by the merger with the University of Tennessee System in 1969, the newly renamed University of Tennessee at Chattanooga secured the necessary funding to build a much-needed, larger library. After several years of planning and construction, the $5.4 million T. Cartter and Margaret Rawlings Lupton Library was dedicated in 1974 with great fanfare.
2015-present: UTC Library
In addition to supporting the research and scholarship needs of the university community, the library building is a campus landmark in and of itself. Photograph courtesy of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Office of Communications and Marketing.
By the early 2000s, UTC’s student enrollment approached 10,000 and the once-spacious 116,000 square feet in Lupton Library was insufficient to meet campus needs. In 2007, the Tennessee General Assembly approved nearly $50 million for a new building, and two years were spent planning and designing the 180,000 square foot library. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 29, 2010, and the public grand opening was held on January 29, 2015.
Today, the UTC library is one of the most visited buildings on campus and is enjoyed by the entire community.
Annual Visits to the UTC Library
Just how popular is the UTC Library?
The current Library had over 675,000 visits during its first opening year (2015-2016), and nearly 750,000 in-person visits the following year (2016 – 2017).
For comparison, Rock City boasts 500,000 annual visitors and the Tennessee Aquarium recently reported 668,700 annual visitors.
Current Library Building Fast Facts:
- Design took 2 years, and was heavily influenced by student and employee input
- Construction took 5 years, and dozens of campus tours were conducted to review progress
- Lead architect was Andrew C. Roth, for whom the 4th Floor Grand Reading Room is named
- The total cost was $48 Million
- Total size is 180,000 ft2 over 5 floors
- The Grand Opening was held on January 29, 2015. Click here to see images from the event on Flickr
Historical Elements
To honor UTC’s rich history, many campus artifacts have been incorporated into the current Library’s physical building:
The “Research” shield came from the Industrial Research building that once stood between Lupton Library and the Crossroads, which was torn down when they started building Lupton Library in 1971.
On the 3rd floor is a “Chamberlain Field” sign which came from the North Stadium of Chamberlain Field. The “Chamberlain Field” sign from South Stadium is the one on the pavilion.
On the 2nd floor you’ll see two signs: “University; Chattanooga” and “Anno Domini 1914”; both of these came from the old men’s gymnasium that was at the top of Cardiac Hill, next to Bretske Hall.
Also above the Check Out desk on the 1st floor is a reproduction of the University shield, which was created in 1915.
Behind the Check Out desk on the 1st floor you’ll see a sign for “University of Chattanooga”; this sign was originally on McCallie Avenue and was replaced with the current “University of Tennessee at Chattanooga” sign after the merger in 1969.