The evolution of the
EZRA LEHMAN MEMORIAL LIBRARY
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SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Albert Einstein once said “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Thousands of Shippensburg University students have found the answers they seek through resources in the library, but not always in the same location. The library and reading room of the Cumberland Valley State Normal School opened in the Old Main Chapel in 1873. It contained over two hundred volumes donated by publishers and government agencies, with residents in the Shippensburg community contributing the most. By the end of the first year, the collection of books and periodicals doubled in size. With Chapel renovations in 1902 a new library was built to the rear of the Chapel. The space featured stained glass windows, oak tables and chairs and of course, more books. Two decades later a librarian was employed by the school and tasked with maintaining a perfectly quiet space. By 1930 the collection increased to 10,000 volumes and a second librarian was hired to assist students with research. An emphasis on the importance of the library led to the creation of a Library Methods course, formalizing the schools commitment to research. While the emphasis on the library and its collection continued to grow, then President Ezra Lehman recognized the space was not large enough to meet the needs
