History
University library needs are met through the London Public Library or the library of Huron College, Western’s founding college. A reading room for medicine is established in 1900 on the second floor of the medical school at York and Waterloo streets.
The first Western Libraries location, known as the Arts or General Library, opens on campus in the former Arts & Administration building now known as University College.
Lawson Library, the first purpose-built library on campus, opens on September 28. Lawson supports students studying general versus professional subjects and provides centralized support to divisional/professional reading rooms and libraries as they are established.
A science reading room opens in the former Natural Sciences Building, now known as the Physics & Astronomy Building.
An expansion (the north wing) of Lawson is completed, doubling the existing stack capacity, adding carrels for graduate students, and space for the Regional History Collection.
A reading room for business opens in the School of Business Administration Building.
A biological and geological sciences reading room opens in the Biological & Geological Sciences Building.
A reading room for physics and chemistry opens in the former Natural Sciences Building, now known as the Physics & Astronomy Building. Collections from the original science reading room established in 1947 are moved to this same location, bringing together these two collections with additional general science collections from Lawson Library.
An engineering reading room opens in the Alexander Charles Spencer Engineering Building.
A reading room supporting the general Lawson Library collection opens in Medway Hall residence.
A reading room supporting the general Lawson Library collection opens in Middlesex College.
The Kresge School of Nursing opens a reading room in the Kresge Building administered by Lawson Library staff.
The business reading room established in 1957 is expanded to become a full-fledged library.
The Law Library opens in the Josephine Spencer Niblett Law Building.
A second expansion (the south wing) of Lawson is completed adding a Periodicals Reading Room, Bibliographic Centre for bibliographies and other specialized reference materials, and staff space for ordering and technical services departments.
A reading room supporting the general Lawson Library collection opens in Sydenham Hall residence.
The Music Library is established off-campus in the A.E. Silverwood Building.
The medical library moves from off campus to the new main campus Health Sciences Centre on July 1, and becomes known as the Health Sciences Library, reflecting the addition of collections for the Faculty of Dentistry.
The Natural Sciences Library opens in the new Natural Sciences Centre. The library amalgamates the reading rooms collections for general science, biological and geological sciences, and physics and chemistry, as well as science collections from Lawson Library.
Reading rooms supporting the general Lawson Library collection open in University College and Talbot College.
The Education Library opens at Althouse College.
The Law Library doubles in size owing to a major addition to the Josephine Spencer Niblett Law Building.
The nursing reading room collection established in 1961 is fully integrated into the Health Sciences Library.
The D.B. Weldon Library opens for operations on June 1. Still operational, it primarily supports the Faculties of Arts & Humanities, Information & Media Studies, and Social Science.
As a result of the opening of Weldon Library, the Lawson Library and reading rooms in Middlesex College, University College and Talbot College close. Residence reading rooms established with the help of the Lawson Library are now administered by Residents’ Councils and cease to relate to the campus library system.
The Research Depository Library opens in the basement of the Dental Sciences Building, providing on-site campus storage for low-use library materials.
The Music Library opens on September 21 on the second floor of Talbot College. Still operational, it primarily supports the Don Wright Faculty of Music.
The Natural Sciences Library is expanded, doubling seating capacity and increasing collections space by 50%.
The Health Sciences Library is expanded to provide additional space for collections and staff, and improvements to public service areas.
The Natural Sciences and Health Sciences Libraries amalgamate services, however both physical locations remain open, operating under one name: The Sciences Library.
The Allyn and Betty Taylor Library opens in September, bringing together the holdings of the Natural Sciences Library and Health Sciences Library into one physical location. Still operational, it primarily supports the Faculties of Engineering, Science, Health Sciences and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. The library is named in recognition of an anonymous donation honouring the Taylor family, who have deep ties to Western and the surrounding London community.
The Law Library is expanded and re-named the John & Dotsa Bitove Family Law Library in recognition of their generosity to the Renaissance Campaign. Still operational, it primarily supports the Faculty of Law.
The Engineering Library becomes the Engineering Resource Centre, with the collection consolidated into the Allyn and Betty Taylor Library.
The Engineering Resource Centre ceases operations and moves all library support for the Faculty of Engineering to the Allyn and Betty Taylor Library.
The Archives and Research Collections Centre (ARCC) opens on April 6. Still operational, the ARCC is a purpose-built facility for storage of archives, special collections, and low and medium use library materials.
The business library is renamed the C.B. ‘Bud’ Johnston Library in honour of the former Dean of the business school (1978-1989) who died in 2003.
The C.B. ‘Bud’ Johnston Library (business) is relocated to the new Ivey School of Business Building on Western Road. Still operational, it primarily serves the Ivey School of Business.
The Education Library becomes the Education Resource Centre, with a portion of the collection consolidated into The D.B. Weldon Library and a small collection moved to room 1135 Althouse College. Still operational, the Education Resource Centre contains materials that support the Faculty’s teacher education program, including kits and games.
