In the earliest days, the library was located upstairs in the Seminary Building.
It was little more than a closet with some donated books. There was no librarian — faculty members took turns providing the limited access.
The collections were limited. The place was basically a closet. Various faculty members took turns opening the doors, and hours were very limited and service was very basic.
In the 1950s, just before the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library was built, the library was located on the second floor of the Administration Building. It was extremely crowded. There had been talk of building a new one for decades, but due to the economic hardships of two World Wars and the Great Depression, there were no funds available to make it a reality until 1953.
Finally, in 1953, spurred on by the gift of a wealthy Methodist philanthropist named Annie Merner Pfeiffer, fundraising efforts were rewarded with a library building!
This was a major milestone in the life of the college. The collections were growing, and being shaped to the curriculum of the college. The place was state-of-the-art.
Service was very evident in the collecting, organizing, preserving, and sharing of materials that faculty needed for their teaching and students needed for their learning.
A Library Science Major was added in 1950, and there were multiple librarians and staff members actively teaching.
Annie Merner Pfeiffer never actually set foot on our campus, but she believed in the power of what was being done here. She also donated money to other Methodist colleges throughout Appalachia, and they also have Pfeiffer buildings.
She also stipulated that two other buildings of equal value be built at the same time. One of these was the L.L. Loar and Family Memorial Music Building, and the other was Fleming Hall.