University of South Carolina Libraries
, IV : Hub of the Horseshoe |^, ^ Paige Fillion and Jennifer Russell take a ride on McKissick Museum's elevator, the oldest ,in Columbia. The elevator is unique in that it has both a door and a steel cage. v The McKissick Museum building was known first as the University Library. f Since then it has been rededicated 'fTi twice, first as McKissick Library and in ffip/S; 1976 as McKissick Museum. J. Rion fW^pl McKissick, 22nd president of USC and [Jfafe* former dean ot the college or fiareK . journalism. fif j ?|iil The facility was constructed in 1940 at the head of the Horseshoe where J gj*jpjp|2 the president's house had been since t t Courtesy USC Information Services -I - McKissick buildii By Susan Paine News editor The history of USC's McKissick Museum KiiilHinn ac o cf Arw r\ f thn nnii/^rcitif oHontinn t r\ UUIIUIII5 lo U JIW\J \J 1 IIIV U1IIVCI OilJ uuupi 1115 IU changing needs. Built as a library during President J. Rion McKissick's administration in 1939-1940, the building outgrew its capacity as a library 20 years later. Those who knew it when it was a library say it now serves a much better function. "IT'S SERVING its best purpose as a museum," said Davy-Jo Ridge, assistant director of libraries. Built in the spot at the head of the Horseshoe where the president's house had been located since 1807, the Renaissance-style building cost $560,374.25 of Depression dollars with funds from the university. Works Progress Administration and state Legislature. It was rededicated twice, first in 1945 as the McKissick Library, and in 1976 as the McKissick Museum, when the library was moved to Thomas Cooper. "It was one of the worst libraries as far as function was concerned. It was designed from the outside and the space was just sort of fit in," said Kenneth Tnnmhc I Hirertrv of libraries "Whpn we moved the library, use ...creased about 1,000 percent." THE MCKISSICK LIBRARY could not accomodate the influx of published material USC was receiving, and although plans to add on to McKissick were considered, in 1967 plans for a new central library began. McKissick was built to house 350,000 volumes. Today, Thomas Cooper, the newest library on campus, houses 1.5 million volumes, with that many more on microform. To build a replica of the McKissick building ij i a <r a :ii: <r c : u: : ~ * u ~ wouiu nave cum minion iu :& j minion muic in 111c 1970s than the $9.4 million budgeted for Thomas Cooper, Toornbs said. USC was forced to come up with some solution to the growing amount of library materials. Makeshift wood shelves had been put under stairwells, and all other available space was used until McKissick could house no more, Toombs said. I A it rr-:---? i SB iB Earn up to $23 a wee donating plasma For information or appoint can 254-2280 Hyland Plasma Cental 1620 Gervais St. Bring this ad for a $5 bonus on first di Need Money? f - SqMHflNKp^H% 9m ^BBe^BL pM^pBBtf. j^H^^MflV H;.. ^3j ^ 9 : m ig serves Carolin. "It was one of the worst libraries as far as function was concerned. It was designed from the outside and the space was just sort of fit in. When we moved the library (to ti r? i :i v j I nomas uooper uurary/, use iiiuiedseu about one thousand percent." Kenneth Toombs Director of Libraries LIBRARY BELONGINGS began to creep across campus. Library books, equipment and furniture were stored in a variety of places around campus for six years before the move to Thomas Cooper. Five thousand boxes of books were stored in an area adjacent to the Elephant Room in the coliseum; Petigru, the old law library, was filled with books; the football stadium was used for storage; the top two floors of the new law library was taken over by books; storage area under Carolina Gardens married housing was used; and the science library in the Physical Science building had twice as many books as it had room for, Toombs said. "They were always coming for us to get the books out," he said. He added that it took 60 students and staff 18 days to move 60,000 boxes into Thomas Cooper. Windows in McKissick were opened, and two haybelts were used as a conveyer for the boxes. THE STAFF kept track of the boxes to the extent of checking out books during the 18 day move. "We knew where the books were at all times," Toombs said. The record of the most books ever checked out at USC in one day, 2,200, was set the first day Thomas Cooper Library opened, June 4, 1976, four years after remodeling the original three floors and facade of what was the undergraduate library. The undergraduate iibrary had been an attempt to relieve the space problems the university was having, but it was not enough. STAFF MEMBERS who worked at McKissick stiil have memories of an inadequate library. ~ ~| $ 5 /c?L | / * I "^?1? mnnt r J onation j Mon. - Jazz We & ! I HlLjffl ; ^ gp?i| ^44^'W-^fl Mte-i K /mV'V- , MM I : ' .m Ha ;3w1mI Ml I | ? n | [,vy# 8l Hv J JHH:%f g g| ; '" ' ' J - yy i community best B "There were few lights, no air condition* ,ib; ing, no carpet, and the ceilings were just a plc little over my head. It was a pretty building mil on the outside but not worth a damn on the , inciHo at thic timo Mrkiccirl uiiac nutrlatoH II IOIUU Ul IIIIU Illlll/I I VlulXIUul Ul\ ?IU\f UUIUUIUU >VI as a library." ,ig, Kenneth Toombs of Director of Libraries 1 nit n\r? Toombs said at McKissick, 500 users was con- ' sidercd to be a landslide day, while at Cooper ten ele times that amount is common. of Thomas Cooper has over 900 private study rooms an and can accomodate 2,600 visitors. "In McKissick not too many books were used in th the building," Toombs said. "The average oc- sa cupancy rate (in Thomas Cooper) is three times as Se long. Some people come here and stay all day." di BEFORE THE MOVE to Thomas Cooper, Ridge said students could steal books and throw them out be the windows in McKissick. When McKissick was built, air conditioning was th an invention of the future, so high ceilings were as designed to keep reading areas cool. In the back where the stacks were located, the ui space was divided in half, leaving low ceilings and clausterphobic areas to work in. Lighting was poor, temperature control was difficult and Ridge said ui there was no color scheme. tY "There were few lights, no air conditioning, no th carpet, and the ceilings were just a little over my rc head," Toombs said. "It was a pretty building on it the outside but not worth a damn on the inside at thk iinic MrKi?irk was outdated as a librarv." p; T; NOISY AIR CONDITIONING units were install- h ed in the offices where some staff members worked j( Ridge said. "When 1 came there were huge interior air conditioning units. It felt like you were riding on an fi airplane engine," she said. "The sound was S deafening." 5 ??rrr-rr-,^ (NDEPENDENi ROCK EXTRAy Wednesday, July 3rd Thurs., Fri., & Sat., July 4, 5 d. - Pitcher Specials Coming Next Wt * * smym r f as museum " some liked to go deep into the recesses of the rary to find peace of mind. '1 liked to go in the stacks because it was like exiling a cave," Information Services adnistrative assistant Bonnie Rabon said. " VfCKISSICK DOES not have the facilties to ac- A ^ Tiodale.lho. library needs of a growing, university. '1 rhomas Cooper contains 21 miles of florescent hts, six and one-half acres of carpet and 45 miles shelves. One museum asset that has survived changes ide in the interior of McKissick is an out-of-date vator. Quaint to some and baffling to others, the vator requires one to open a door to get on and f the relic, allowing time for the steel gate to open d close once inside. . I FIRST TIME riders have been found standing in e elevator waiting for the door to open for them, id Debra Allen, assistant director of Information i irvices. If no one comes along to help them in their thpv mav hp whick^H r?ff tr? annthpr flnnr ;fore realizing what to do. Everyday riders have learned to watch their step :cause the elevator never stops level with the floor. "Whenever the thing acts up we kid ourselves at it's J. Rion McKissick's ghost," John Heiting, sociate director of McKissick said. McKissick Museum hasn't outgrown the liversity. ^ f TUL'Dl' A DI' II i & a ni\ij tui i win piam i \j iiidiau il pel illilllCIll [ diversity exhibit Heiting said. "It will be a meeting room for university groups lat in part of furbishing will include an exhibit so lat when people are in a meeting they will be surjunded by things pertinent to the history of the luseum," Heiting said. George Terry, director of McKissick said the allery will include university artifacts such as 830's dueling pistols that students used and 1980 icisman i ropny winner ueorge Kogers' tootball :rsey. The museum is open seven days a week. Hours ^ om Monday through Friday are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. aturday the museum opens at 10 a.m. and closes at p.m. and Sunday hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. K-N-ROLL'S ADDRESS <k DEVINE ST. 252-ROCK * CE WEEK 1 AGANZA" 1 rhe UPSETTERS 1 featuring Frank Smoak J . 6 The AGENTS t )ek The Swimming Pool Q'sH r g