Collection Spotlight: The History of Geisel Library

A 1966 conceptual piece by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons created with cut paper and colored pencil depicting what the Central Library at UC San Diego could look like.

"Shaping A Library"

Fall 2022

If you have visited Geisel Library in recent months, you have likely seen the new exhibit gallery that is located right inside the front entrance. This space was established as part of the recently completed 2nd Floor renovation project, the third and final phase of the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative (read more on Page 10).

In September, we unveiled the inaugural exhibition — “Shaping A Library” — which is on display through December 22, 2022. Curated by Lynda Claassen, director of Special Collections & Archives, the exhibition features historical materials from Special Collections & Archives that outline the birth and evolution of what is now known as Geisel Library. Most pieces on display illustrate architect William Pereira’s early concepts through the final design to the construction of UC San Diego’s intellectual heart, the iconic Geisel Library building.

The new gallery at Geisel Library with inaugural exhibit “Shaping A Library” on display.

April Tellez Green

“After eight years of looking at various campus locations, in 1965, architect William Pereira selected the geographic center of campus as the site location,” said Claassen. “We are proud of the fact that the site remains the center of the university’s academic life.”

Pereira studied several academic and public libraries around the globe before choosing a sphere as the basic form for the building. Although “sphere” may not be the shape that comes to mind when looking at the structure today, it was built as a five-level spheroid shape, raised 30 feet above a plaza level with two “operational” levels on the 1st and 2nd Floors.

An architectural rendering of Geisel Library, then known as Central Library, circa 1968, including the unbuilt addition for special collections.

UC San Diego Library

As outlined in the various materials that are on display — including blueprints, architectural renderings, and the original 1969 Central Library building report — UC San Diego broke ground on the project in 1968 and the university’s stunning new library was dedicated in 1971. The exhibition follows the construction of the original building as well as the expansive (and necessary) addition by architect Gunnar Birkerts that took place from 1990 to 1992. The expansion virtually doubled the usable square footage of the building, giving the community room to ‘stretch its legs,’ so to speak, and study in comfort. “Shaping A Library” will become a permanent online exhibition in January 2023. Until then, we hope you enjoy a glimpse of some of the items on display in this article.

An exhibit case in “Shaping A Library” showcasing sketches and drawings of the original concepts for the building along with the “project book” created by William L. Pereira & Associates, LLC.

April Tellez Green

Director of Special Collections & Archives Lynda Claassen jotting down record numbers for the items on display

April Tellez Green

“Still Shaping A Library”

Winter 2023

Geisel Library enthusiasts will be pleased to learn there is a new exhibition that will replace “Shaping A Library” during winter quarter. Once again curated by Claassen, Part II of the exhibition — “Still Shaping A Library” — reflects on the growth and development of the collections within the concrete and glass “container.” The items on display showcase the intellectual treasures and informational tools that students and scholars use daily in their pursuit of knowledge. While there is a chronological end to the completion of the physical building, the “contents” within are constantly evolving with the addition of new materials. The development of those collections is an ongoing business carried out by a cohort of librarians who continue to match campus instructional and research needs with materials.

As a university, UC San Diego is relatively young. For an institution of only some 60 years of age, it has built extraordinary collections, some of which have become the “library of record” for various scholarly areas. “Still Shaping A Library” pays homage to the many faculty, friends and donors who have helped, and continue to help, construct and curate this content.

“Still Shaping A Library” will be on display at Geisel Library beginning January 9 through March 17, 2023, and available online in June 2023.