In 1961, SUNY Cortland added a brand-new library with seating for 900 students. In the center of the library, the building contained a grand stairway as shown in the photograph below. According to a 1962 SUNY Cortland “Dedication and Naming of Buildings” program, the college named the Memorial Library in memory of employees, students and graduates that served “their Country in time of war –especially the many who made the supreme sacrifice.” As time progressed, the SUNY Cortland student population expanded and by 1973, the College added a new four-story extension. The building extension eliminated the original stairway and created the current library floor structure, main entrance and stairs. During the renovation period, library staff transferred approximately 65,000 books from Old Main to Memorial Library, as illustrated in the bookcase photograph on the right.
1971
1961
1973