Over the next 150 years, the library grew and moved to several campus locations. The collection stood at 60,000 volumes when Wilson Hall was built in 1885 and more than trebled to 200,000 when Baker, designed to hold a million volumes, opened in 1928. The Library had already begun to develop into a system when the millionth volume arrived in 1970. Of all the College's academic facilities, none is more vibrant than its library. It is, indeed, a remarkable resource, one that is about to enter an era of technological and physical change, thanks to the vision and generosity of John Berry, his family and friends.
Nobody really knows for sure.
Not for a long, long time. Leave that to the Class of 2050 to ponder. For a look at what the experts think about libraries of the future, read the major coverage scheduled for publication in the December issue of Dartmouth Alumni Magazine. Bruce Pipes, the associate provost who is a central figure in organizing the planning process, envisions Dartmouth's new library as a harmonious marriage of various information resources. Changes in how the library is used will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, driven by new technology, pressure to reduce costs, and the need to manage access to the constantly growing body of information contained in Dartmouth's library.