Introduction
Hello. My name is Anne Kenney and as interim university librarian, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Cornell University Library -- the center of Cornell’s rich academic life.
The library has come a long way since the university’s founding in 1868. Today, it comprises 20 member libraries located in Ithaca, Geneva, N.Y., New York City and Doha, Qatar. Our library serves as both a traditional repository of scholarly materials and a gateway to cutting-edge information resources.
Anne R. Kenney, Interim University Librarian, stands in the newly-refurbished Song of the Vowels plaza.
Uris Library, Cornell’s first dedicated library building, opened in 1891. Designed by Cornell’s first architecture student, William Henry Miller, the building is considered his masterpiece. On campus and around the world, Uris library and its attached bell tower are symbols of Cornell University—a “secular cathedral” devoted to books and learning.
In 1962, the building was renamed after Harold D. Uris, a graduate from Cornell’s class of 1925 and a Cornell trustee from 1967 to 1972. Uris, together with his brother Percy, established the Uris Brothers Foundation, which became a major benefactor of Cornell and supported renovations of Uris Library, Olin Library, and the donation of two sculptures by Jacques Lipchitz, a leading Cubist sculptor of the 20th century. Both sculptures, The Song of the Vowels and the Bather, are prominently displayed by Cornell University Library.
To celebrate Cornell’s history and demonstrate the library’s commitment to new technology, a series of podcasts has been created that showcases Uris Library. Elements of Cornell’s history are preserved in the architecture and art work that fills the building. For now, these audio tours highlight the Dean Room, the Kinkeldey Room and the Andrew Dickson White Library.
Additional chapters of the Uris Library History podcast are planned for the future. Listeners can subscribe to them through iTunes or Juice or go directly to the library’s site and listen to the podcasts while viewing historic photographs. The Uris podcast tours will also be available on LibeCast, Cornell University Library’s new Webcasting portal.
With the kickoff of LibeCast, Cornell University Library offers the world a glimpse of life inside one of the nation’s best research libraries. LibeCast will support instruction, research and scholarship and also strive to inspire and engage audiences worldwide.
Cornell University Library, with its wealth of print and online resources, truly embodies the ideals of university founder, Ezra Cornell, who imagined an institution “where any person can find instruction in any study.” I invite you to explore our world-class library. You just might be surprised by what you discover.