On November 16, 1971, classes were canceled at the Academy for a day so students, faculty and staff could move 60,000 books from the old Davis Library (now the Davis Center) into the new Academy Library, on which construction had just been completed.

A celebration of the 35th anniversary of the momentous move into the "new" library occurred on November 16, 2006, beginning with a talk by Carter Wiseman '63, one of this country's most respected architecture critics and historians, on the design of the Academy Library and Louis I. Kahn.

Wiseman spoke on “Louis I. Kahn: Beyond Time and Style,” which is also the title of his upcoming biography of Kahn, the library’s architect. Adding to the special occasion were the display of several rarely seen concept models and drawings illustrating the evolution of the design of the library.

Following the talk in the Kaplanoff Periodicals Room, the audience moved upstairs to Rockefeller Hall, where they were greeted by thousands of brightly colored streamers that were released by the Library student proctors from the upper floors of the library down into the central hall. Strips of silver, gold, magenta, purple, and turquoise complemented the special cake, an 18-inch high replica of the library.

The festivities were attended by students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae and community members, as well as by Rodney Armstrong, former Academy Librarian, who had overseen the design and construction of the new library. A truly festive celebration of the Library’s now not-so-new home.

Click here to see a short video of the festivities (32MB).

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