West Virginia University Downtown Library
Encyclopedia
The West Virginia University Downtown Library Complex is located between Clark Hall and White Hall on the West Virginia University
Downtown Campus in Morgantown
, West Virginia
. It is one of four WVU libraries along with the Evansdale, Law, and Health Sciences. The building consists of two separate libraries – Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library and Downtown Library. Since the origin of the Downtown/Wise Library, the complex has gained four floors of study rooms and computer workstations, rare collections housed in the Wise section of the library and a coffee shop.
Downtown Library was built in 1931. The original campus library was located in Stewart Hall, a beautiful Romanesque style building; however, the small size of Stewart Hall could not accommodate the growing student population, and University President John Roscoe Turner, among other university supporters, sought to build a new library. The University Library was then built on the former property of Israel Charles White which today stands between White Hall and Clark Hall [1].
In 1984, the University Library was renamed Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library. The Board of Regents chose to rename the library to honor Charles C. Wise, Jr. who was a lawyer and former student body president of WVU that had donated 4260 acres (17.2 km²) of land to the WVU Foundation. A dedication ceremony was held on October 1, 1984.
In December 1996, a meeting was held to discuss a multi-million dollar renovation and addition to the Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library. Located in the front of the original library, this addition encompassed 124000 square feet (11,520 m²) with five new levels added (four above ground). The Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library and the new addition are connected by an atrium. A giant skylight filters sunlight into the room, cascading down the original facade of the library. The library was completed in the spring of 2002.
Along with the various library features, the multimedia features have been updated to provide students with the most high-tech equipment possible. Technological features are located on the lower level and include:
which run from New York
to Mississippi
. Subjects include cultural stories of coal miners, music, pollution, crafts, traditions, wildlife, religion, social conditions, and more. On the WVU Libraries website is a links to search engines, indexes, and other libraries for Appalachian Studies.
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
Downtown Campus in Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. It is one of four WVU libraries along with the Evansdale, Law, and Health Sciences. The building consists of two separate libraries – Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library and Downtown Library. Since the origin of the Downtown/Wise Library, the complex has gained four floors of study rooms and computer workstations, rare collections housed in the Wise section of the library and a coffee shop.
Brief history
The West Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
Downtown Library was built in 1931. The original campus library was located in Stewart Hall, a beautiful Romanesque style building; however, the small size of Stewart Hall could not accommodate the growing student population, and University President John Roscoe Turner, among other university supporters, sought to build a new library. The University Library was then built on the former property of Israel Charles White which today stands between White Hall and Clark Hall [1].
In 1984, the University Library was renamed Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library. The Board of Regents chose to rename the library to honor Charles C. Wise, Jr. who was a lawyer and former student body president of WVU that had donated 4260 acres (17.2 km²) of land to the WVU Foundation. A dedication ceremony was held on October 1, 1984.
In December 1996, a meeting was held to discuss a multi-million dollar renovation and addition to the Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library. Located in the front of the original library, this addition encompassed 124000 square feet (11,520 m²) with five new levels added (four above ground). The Charles C. Wise, Jr. Library and the new addition are connected by an atrium. A giant skylight filters sunlight into the room, cascading down the original facade of the library. The library was completed in the spring of 2002.
Facilities & Features
The Downtown Library is a state-of-the-art facility centrally located on the Downtown Campus. Since renovations, the library has become not only a haven for those studying for various tests, but for group meetings, media projects, and intensive research. Notable library features of the library include:- 19 group study rooms
- A collection of over 300,000 books in space
- 1,200 public seats
- An atrium connects the 1931 renovated Wise Library to the 2002 Downtown Campus Library
- 2 renovated reading rooms in the Wise Library
- Over 230 public computer terminals
Along with the various library features, the multimedia features have been updated to provide students with the most high-tech equipment possible. Technological features are located on the lower level and include:
- Multimedia iMac computers with headphones and equipped with DVD+/-RW drives and DVD/CD-ROM authoring software, Final Cut Studio, and other multimedia software.
- 30 iMac computers
- A library-based video/digital server allowing faculty to load non-copyrighted full motion video onto a server for campus-wide distribution
- 100 (80 Windows XP, 20 Mac) Wireless laptop computers are available for four hour checkout within the library from the Access Services Desk.
- Multimedia viewing rooms with 42" Plasma screens are available to faculty and students to view videos, DVDs, or create PowerPoint programs for class use, and can be checked out by the Media Services department located in the Lower Level.
- A 60-seat multimedia viewing classroom can be reserved for classroom instruction
Interlibrary Loan and Ez Borrow Services
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services are extended to all WVU students, faculty, and staff. ILL and E-ZBorrow can borrow materials from other libraries for you. E-ZBorrow requests books from other academic libraries in the PALCI consortium and generally takes 3–5 days. ILL requests items from libraries all over the world and can take 3 days or more. You may place your ILL request online at http://illiad.lib.wvu.edu/ or before ordering. http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/ezborrow/. You will need to register with ILLiad. ILL and E-ZBorrow requests are usually processed within 24 hours.Beverages/Food
Located on the Fourth floor of the library, is Eliza’s, a coffee shop. It is named after Eliza J. Skinner, Library Director, 1897 – 1902. Eliza’s offers Starbucks coffee, fruits, bagels, tea, and other foods. A full menu and other information, is available at: http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/elizas/index.htm. It is open Monday- Wednesday 9am- midnight, Thursday 9am-9pm, Friday 9am-2pm, CLOSED on Saturday, and opens again Sunday from 3pm- midnight.Residential Access
The public may access the books and government documents in the building. However, for further access, a resident borrower's card is needed. This card is offered to those from WV who wish to check out materials and obtain access the library's computers. Membership is $50 per year, and can be obtained at the Access Services desk.Appalachian Collection
Located in the James V. and Ann Pozega Milano Reading Room on the third floor of Wise Library, the Appalachian Collections consists of literature of the 13-state region. The collection is named after the Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
which run from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Subjects include cultural stories of coal miners, music, pollution, crafts, traditions, wildlife, religion, social conditions, and more. On the WVU Libraries website is a links to search engines, indexes, and other libraries for Appalachian Studies.