Library Records
Scope and Contents
The Library Records document the history of the library of The Lawrenceville School. Included here are documents on the buildings that have housed the library, the services offered, past outreach programs and initiatives, and library personnel. Items of note included plans for the 1960 expansion of the John Dixon Library and documents related to the numerous outreach and reading encouragement programs.
Dates
- 1876 - 2017
Conditions Governing Access
The records are open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Single photocopies and digital photographs may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Archivist. Researchers are responsible for determining any other copyright questions.
Biographical / Historical
The first documentation of a library at The Lawrenceville School can be found in the catalogue, first published in 1836, which states, "A library has been selected with special reference to the benefit of the pupils, from which all are entitled to draw books twice a week." The library received its own dedicated room in 1852. It eventually moved to Memorial Hall, residing on one end of the ground floor. It remained there until the opening of the John Dixon Library building in 1931.
The library's impact on campus was minimal until the hiring of the first full-time librarian in 1917. The library expanded even further under the leadership of Oscar McPherson. McPherson spearheaded an enormous increase the library's holdings. The increased volume of books and circulation numbers precipitated the need to build a new structure dedicated to library use. In 1931, the John Dixon Library opened. The Dixon Library expanded in 1960 but an evergrowing collection and staff forced the building of a larger structure that could handle increased demand. In 1996, the Bunn Library opened it's doors. The old John Dixon Library has since been remodeled and is now the Gruss Center for the Visual Arts.
Extent
6.92 Linear Feet (14 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The Library Records are arranged into six series: Series 1: Buildings, 1939-2012; Series 2: Circulation Records, 1944-1984; Series 3: General Files, 1876-2010; Series 4: Reports, 1961-1993; Series 5: Summer Session, 1964-1971; Series 6: Volunteers, 1997-2007.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The records were transferred from the Bunn Library to the Stephan Archives.
Appraisal
Appraisal has been conducted in accordance with The Lawrenceville School Stephan Archives guidelines.
Bibliography
Processing Information
The Library records were processed by Casey Babcock in October of 2011.
- Education, Secondary -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lawrenceville (N.J.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lawrenceville School -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Private school libraries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- The Lawrenceville School Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- memoranda Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- reports Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Title
- Library Records: Finding Aid
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Casey Babcock (2012), Stephanie Eder and Jacqueline Haun (2017)
- Date
- September 21, 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the The Lawrenceville School Stephan Archives Repository
