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Alden Library

Location and Current Use

Alden Library is located in the College Green, between coordinates G-4 and H-4 on the campus map. It is marked as # 5 on the map.

Vernon R. Alden Library serves the Athens campus as the central library facility; the building can seat 3,000 readers. The Ohio University libraries' collections contain over two million printed volumes, 2.3 million units of microfilm material, and 13,500 current periodical subscriptions. Electronic resources of the Libraries include ALICE, the libraries online catalog; OhioLINK, a statewide library and information network; and a wide variety of networked databases in many subject disciplines. These are accessible from within the Alden Library and many are linked to the Library Home Page and other campus networks. Special collections within Alden Library are the Fine Arts Library, the Health Sciences Library, the University Archives and Special Collections, a Map Collection, and the Southeast Asia Collection. Instructional Media & Technology Services supports instructional technology across the Athens campus and houses video and other multimedia collections. Alden Library is open to the public, as well as to students, faculty, and staff, seven days a week during the academic year. Alden Library also houses the Learning Commons (on the second floor) and the Academic Advancement Center, which offers study skills instruction, tutoring programs, and a computer lab.


History of the Building

Alden Library was constructed between 1966 and 1969; it opened in February, 1969, with 550,000 volumes. The east and west wings, added to floors four through seven, were completed in June, 1972. Alden Library's capacity of 1.4 million volumes was exceeded in 1985; the Library Annex opened in 1996 to house lesser used materials.


Vernon R. Alden

Alden Library is named for the 15th president of Ohio University, Vernon R. Alden, who served as president from 1962 until 1969. His administration saw a doubling of enrollment and faculty, a great expansion of the campus area, and continuation of a construction program. There was a significant increase in research activities, a broadening of academic programs, and growth of the University's role in regional development and international programs under his leadership. Dr. Alden continues his involvement with the University libraries, chairing the Libraries' Bicentennial Campaign Committee.

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Dick Piccard revised this file (http://www.ohio.edu/athens/bldgs/alden.html) on April 24, 2013.
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