History
The first library was established in 1850 when the school was founded. In 1900 the library was located in the LeRoy Cowles Building on Presidents Circle. In 1935 the library moved to the George Thomas Library Building on Presidents Circle.
In 1968 the library moved to its current location and was named for J. Willard Marriott in 1969 when Mr. Marriott contributed $1 million to the University of Utah for library collections. At the time, this was the largest single contribution ever received by the university. In 1996 the library was rededicated after a 210,000-square-foot (20,000 m2) expansion, which almost doubled the library's size.
A major renovation project began in June 2005 and concluded in June 2009. The purpose of the renovation was to improve the seismic stability of the building, provide clearer pathways through the building, improve environmental controls, and allow for more natural light. Several additions were also made to the building including an automated storage and retrieval system that can store up to 2 million items, additional classrooms and teaching labs, additional study areas, a rooftop garden, an advanced technology studio, and a new indoor café.
Read more about this topic: J. Willard Marriott Library
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