Historical Photo of the Week - Library

Otterbein's first library was located on the second floor of Towers Hall, on the east side of the building. This photograph was taken around 1900. According to Rev. Henry Garst's History of Otterbein University:

The college library is classified and catalogued according to the Dewey system, and all is made readily accessible by means of classification, indexes, bibliographies, etc. The library is open six hours each school day, ad two hours on Saturday, and students are encouraged to use its resources freely as aids to class-room work and to general culture.

These two rooms would remain in use as the college library until 1907 when the Carnegie Library was built across the street. Today the Carnegie Library is known as the Clippinger Administration Building.