Celebrating Our One-Millionth Book

In 2002, Carnegie Mellon University Libraries celebrate having acquired one million volumes for library collections housed in Hunt Library, the Engineering and Science Library, and Mellon Institute Library. Library materials include monographs as well as bound journals and technical reports.

Adding the millionth volume to library collections is a long-awaited milestone at Carnegie Mellon. Through the efforts of the University Libraries Development Board, notably Lucian and Rita Caste, and the continued interest of Carnegie heirs and the generosity of the Carnegie UK Trust, we are pleased to announce to the university the symbolic Millionth Book for library collections: Liber Scriptorum, The First and Second Books of the Authors Club of New York (1893 and 1921).

The pair of limited edition volumes were once part of the Carnegie family library at Skibo Castle. With them came a note from Andrew Carnegie's wife, Louise, written as she bequeathed The First Book "from her father's library" to daughter Margaret in 1920. There is also a handwritten inscription in The Second Book, to Louise from Authors Club officers. The gift was formally presented to university president Jared L. Cohon at the Andrew Carnegie Society Breakfast, during Homecoming festivities on October 5, by Dame Gillian Wagner, trustee and former chair of the Trust.

The Authors Club of New York, organized in 1882, was a social club for literary men and a support group for younger writers. Carnegie himself was a member of the Authors Club, as were Teddy Roosevelt, Samuel Clemens, William Dean Howells, and other literary men of the day. The Liber Scriptorum - literally, "book of writers" - was conceived as a fundraiser for the group. Club members contributed original essays, stories or poems to be published in Liber Scriptorum, and then personally signed their works in each copy of the published book.

Andrew Carnegie contributed an essay on poet Robert Burns, "Genius Illustrated from Burns," published in The First Book. The Second Book contains a eulogy written about Carnegie, "Captain of Industry."

Both volumes of Liber Scriptorum have been digitized and may be read on the Web:

Andrew Carnegie Photo from Carnegie Mellon University Archives

	How We Grew

Year: Volumes

1900: 0
1920: 4,686
1936: 23,700
1943: 39,555
1965: 222,500
1980: 610,402
1990: 767,307
2002: 1,000,000

Collection statistics courtesy of
Jennie Benford, University Archivist;
Terry Hurlbert, Head of Cataloging;
Erika Linke, Associate University Librarian

	Yesterday

When Carnegie Technical Schools began in 1900, Andrew Carnegie, founder of Carnegie Tech (and almost three thousand public libraries), insisted that the nearby Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was adequate to meet the needs of Tech students and faculty.

As the school grew, however, the need for a campus library became apparent. Various departments established their own libraries, which sufficed until 1920, when a World War I soldiers' canteen known as "the Hut" was converted to serve as the campus library. In 1943, the library collection was moved to Industries Hall (now Baker Hall).

In 1958, Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Hunt donated funds to construct a campus library, and the university's first dedicated library building opened its doors in 1961.

In 1967, Carnegie Tech merged with Mellon Institute to create Carnegie-Mellon University, and acquired the Mellon Institute library collection. In 1970, engineering and science collections were transferred from Hunt to the newly constructed "Scientific Research, Mathematics and Computer Science Building" (now Wean Hall).

	Tomorrow

University Libraries Development Board

Lucian & Rita Caste
Denise Troll Covey
Margaret Cyert
Richard Elder
Richard & Susan Hamilton
Tod Hunt, Jr. (chair)
Erika Linke
Pete Mataya
Thomas & Eileen McConomy
Sharon Navoney
Evelyn Murrin
Anu Reddy-unconfirmed
Ruth Rouleau
Virginia Schatz
Gloriana St.Clair
Thomas Wright
Marguerite Q. Zappa

Library gift programs:

Library Enhancement Fund
Book Gift Fund
Endowment
Planned Giving
Gifts of Materials