History

The science library opened in August 2001, in the midst of ongoing construction of the new Science Center.

The collections of the Class of 1904 Science Library in Kettering Hall and the Physics Reading Room in Wright Laboratory of Physics merged to form the initial corpus of what was then a collection of 46,000 volumes, serving the departments of biology, chemistry, geology, neuroscience, and physics.  

Construction continued around the library during the 2001/02 academic year, focused on the addition connecting the new building to Wright while demolishing the east half of Kettering. Classes and labs were held in the completed portions of the Science Center throughout 2001/02, and it was formally dedicated on Oct. 4, 2002.

Within a few years the science library collection grew considerably with the addition of materials from the main library, including history and philosophy of science, science education, general science and technology, and certain aspects of applied science (medicine, agriculture, chemical technology, and environmental science). Government documents from science-related federal agencies were also added. The expansion of the collection brought in library users from beyond the science center, and its close proximity to student dorms and dining on north campus, as well as the spacious, comfortable nature of the new library, enhanced its appeal. Annual usage increased from 45,800 in 2001 to 147,000 ten years later. The current size of the collections is estimated at 124,000 volumes.

More: Ricker, A. S. The Kettering Library and Other Science Collections at Oberlin College: Past and Present.  Science & Technology Libraries 1992, 12, 71-85.