History

The Columbus State University Library began in 1958 as part of the newly-created Columbus College, now Columbus State University. Located in a room of the old Shannon Hosiery Mill, the library had 4,350 square feet of floor space and a seating capacity of 166. Over the years, an active acquisitions program and generous donations have resulted in a current collection of over 386,000 volumes. Growth of the collection has been aided by the acquisition of microforms, the Library of American Civilization microfiche collection, periodicals, government documents, audio-visual materials, computer software, and CD-ROM products.

The new Simon Schwob Memorial Library was dedicated in 1975. With a floor space of over 85,000 square feet, this modern, four-story learning resource center has the capacity to seat 700 library users at study tables and individual study carrels. The library's Educational Technology Center, or ETC, located on the first floor adjacent to the circulation desk, contains listening stations (audio CD's, records, cassettes), microform copiers, photocopier, videocassette players, microcomputers, printers, and other multi-media equipment.

Also located on the first floor of the library are the information services desk, the reference collection, bound and unbound periodicals (magazines and newspapers), microform materials and readers, government documents, audio tapes and CDs, videotapes, copy facilities, and the administrative offices. The circulating book collection begins on the second floor, which also houses group and faculty study rooms.

The third floor of the library houses the remainder of the circulating collection, additional group and faculty study rooms, the library classroom, and the archives, which holds a collection of materials related to the Columbus area.

Instructional Media Services, or ITS, is housed in the basement. ITS provides audio-visual and multimedia equipment to University faculty for classroom use. ITS also provides assistance to faculty members wishing to create multimedia lecture materials.