Theme III: The Once & Future Library

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/Renovation/libren.htm
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/access/winter99/newworld.html

"I believe that it's imperative to help uphold the historic
mission of CUNY, which has always been to offer solid
educational opportunities to New York City students. A
state-of-the?art Library with cutting-edge resources will
enhance the education of thousands of students from Brooklyn
and New York City and State." New York State
Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs

"This is the dawn of a new era for our school. In fact, the scale of the Project,
coupled with our recent technological leaps, reaffirms the importance of Brooklyn
College in providing educational opportunities to New York City students. We are
grateful to the State Legislature, which is demonstrating, once again, real
leadership at an important time in CUNY's history." President Vernon E. Lattin

"Fortunately for us today, Brooklyn College's founding
president William A. Boylan recognized the key role of the
Library. He encouraged architect Randolph Evans to place it
at the heart of the campus, a monument whose proud facade
and domed clock tower have made it the College's signature
building, and to leave the plot of ground next to LaGuardia Hall
free of any other building, allowing for future library
expansion. Now, a new team of stellar contemporary architects
will transform Evans' work into a Library facility for the 21st
century, one designed to equal and advance bellwether services
and collections." Barbra Buckner Higginbotham, Chief
Librarian & Executive Director for Academic Information
Technologies

The silver?plated shovel used by Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia in 1935 when he broke ground
for the Brooklyn College campus made another appearance at LaGuardia Hall on Thursday,
November 4, 1999, on the occasion of the ceremonial groundbreaking for the renovation
and expansion of the Brooklyn College Library. This time the shovel was wielded by
President Vernon Lattin. In the presence of faculty, students, and the press, President
Lattin, Chief Librarian Barbra Higginbotham, Interim CUNY Chancellor Patricia Hassett,
architect Alexander Howe, and other College officials and politicians plunged special
shovels into a gigantic sandbox, while cameras flashed. (Created for the occasion by
Turner Construction, the new shovels were engraved replicas of that used on October 2,
1935, by Mayor LaGuardia.)

Barbra Buckner Higginbotham;
President Vernon Lattin


Barbra Higginbotham served as the mistress of ceremonies for a brief program, as
speakers who played various roles in creating the Library Project acknowledged the
superior teamwork that led to the Project's success. State Assemblyman Edward Griffith
was singled out for his extraordinary role in securing the funding necessary for the new
building. A gala party in the Library Café and on its plaza (beautifully tented and heated
for the occasion) followed the groundbreaking ceremony, and ... we were off and running!