Chalmer Davee Library History Highlights
1875	River Falls Normal School opens Library facilities established in Normal School building Students charged $1.00 to rent textbooks and reference books Originally a student acted as librarian earning a salary of $100 per year
1892	Miss Isabelle Patterson became the first official librarian Library remodeled, cataloged and classified
1895	Library received separate budget expressly designated to purchase books and library materials
1897, Nov. 29	Fire destroyed Normal School building. Good portion of library materials were saved
1907	Library switched from Cutter classifying system to Dewey Decimal system
1911	7,300 books in the library’s collection Conference of Normal School librarians held in Oshkosh. It was a first step toward unification in the library system
1914	With the addition to campus of North Hall, the library was moved into the old assembly room in South Hall
1920s	Little growth in the book collection. Only 2,854 volumes were added. Total of 15,063 volumes.
1932	Library had reading table space for 120 students. Annual library appropriation of approx. $5,000. Library had 17,000 volumes.
1935-36	First Faculty Library Committee composed of Lucille Haddow, Maude Latta, J.H. Owens, Margaret Eide, Rhea Gibson
1940	19,898 volumes in library’s collection
1945-46	Book rental fee, which had increased throughout the years, stood at $40 per year. Drop in enrollment led to a reduction of the library’s book budget.
1949	Library Committee reestablished and produced report stating that longer hours of service were needed and that silence should be more rigidly enforced in the library.
1950	Library now had four staff members. Open 55.5 hours per week, four of which were evening hours until 9pm and 3 hours on Saturday mornings.
1952	Regional document depository established.
1954	New library building completed in the spring.
1955	Music Listening Lab Room and phonograph record collection incorporated into library’s services. Library Director Richard Cooklock prepared a student library handbook intended to serve as a simple guide to library usage and directional guide. Library Committee attempted to increase reading by students with a paperback book exchange, “Bring One – Take One”.
1960s	Early 1960s, library holdings had grown to 45,285 books a gain of 15,426 from the previous decade.
1962, Aug.	Library received government publications depository status Regional document depository expanded into an Area Research Center, partly because departments could not locate information needed for the school’s centennial history. Information once scattered throughout campus was now centrally located into the ARC.
1963	River Falls created the first Union List of Periodicals holdings for 9 campuses.
1966	Library switched from Dewey Decimal system to Library of Congress cataloging scheme.
1967	Construction of 70,000 square foot Library addition began.
1976	Installation of book theft detection system in September. Estimated loss of books from 1969-1977 was 6,261 books. Numbers greatly reduced after installation of security system.
1979	180,441 volumes in library’s holdings
1980	Three microfilm readers purchased.
1981	Budget problems plagued university libraries throughout the state Despite budget limitations, 6,531 books were added to the collection Total book holdings now 198,261 volumes
1982	New computer equipment added to library includes an Apple IIe and NEC Spinwriter printer. Four manual typewriters added to assist students in typing papers.
1983	Obtained first searchable database, along with needed microcomputer, printer and modem.
1985-86	Average number of database searches per month was 14; yearly total of 158.
1989	First generation of automated library catalog. LS2000, made its debut in circulation, reserve and acquisitions Barcodes became standard form of patron identification in circulation department Bibliographic instruction room completed. Harriet Barry Gallery dedicated.
1990	New security system installed. Received a $35,130 grant to support Internet access
1991	Instituted library liaison program to facilitate book purchases for academic departments campus-wide
1993	NOTIS system implemented system-wide
1995	Home page on WWW created for the Chalmer Davee Library. Formal information technology plan for the library was incorporated into the University’s IT plan
1995-96	Construction began on the $7.1 million library remodeling project.
1996	Library received funding from the Laboratory Modernizing funding to purchase equipment for the BI room.
1997	Library rededication ceremony was held October 8, 1997. Richard A. Cooklock room dedicated same day. Record-breaking 196 bibliographic instruction classes were taught in the library during the academic year.
1999	New library online catalog implemented called Voyager
Sept. 2000	Library book sale nets over $800 for new acquisitions.
2001	Universal Borrowing debuts at UWRF.
2000-01	Library acquired its first collection of e-books (Net library). .
2000-01	Reference librarians conducted 151 library instruction sessions for 3,427 students.
2001	"Find Your Dream" breezeway mural dedicated.
2000-01	Listening/Viewing Rooms were upgraded. New equipment added includes DVD players.
2002	Walk-in library orientation sessions started to orient students to library’s numerous services.
Nov. 2002	Library book sale nets just over $1527 for new acquisitions.