Freel Library
The Freel Library was built in 1970, reflecting a focus on educational development at the college as MCLA’s enrollment increased.
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Freel Library has been on MCLA’s campus since 1970 and has gone through various changes over time leading up to today. The library was moved to the newly built building, completed in the 70s with the project costing around $9,500,000. The main priority of the project was to expand the library, but the scope of work done included the renovation of the existing library, parking additions, and site improvements. In the building's early days, the library had a stack capacity of 150,000 volumes and close to 400 seats, with 60% of seating being private study spaces. The lower level housed the Computer Services department and curriculum resource center.
In the 1980s, Freel Library would increase its collection to 381,000 items total, including 153,000 books, 11,500 non-book items and 216,000 microfilm units. Familiar faces during the building's early days included Charles McIsaac, head librarian, Ann Terryberry and Joan Zagata, librarians in Freel, and a couple of junior librarian assistants Virginia Morin and Janice Gold. During the 1980s, the library was staffed by five full-time and five part-time professional librarians, three student workers, and 11 full and part-time clerical staff. Charles A. McIsaac, head librarian from the 1970s to mid 1980s, had a reputation for his drive to help students find answers to their research.
As the years have gone by, the interior of the library has changed, and so have the faces that worked here, but what it offered to its students has remained the same. The library has always offered students a place to come and relax, be curious, socialize, and to find answers to their questions.
Freel Library has hosted various events over the years. One notable event was an exhibit of staff and faculty’s favorite books called, “You’ve Got to Read this” that took place April 1995 in honor of National Library Week. Those who submitted titles of their favorite books wrote a brief explanation of the book's importance to them and what they enjoyed. These books were on display for the whole week in the library. Other events include A Century of Yearbooks (2000), Hawthorne and Melville: A Sense of Place (2004), The Caldecott Experience (2005), and much more. At its core, Freel Library has remained an integral part of student life on campus; the building has seen new faces, new materials and numerous events since the 1970s.
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Freel Library offers what most libraries do, a quiet place to remain focused on work, reading and research.
Freel Library has always been a place for students to relax or set aside time to work, with staff always there to help answer any questions. Although the interior decoration of the library has gone through several changes over the years, this has not changed. | Source: Courtesy of MCLA Freel Library.
Charles McIsaac- library director.
Pictured here is Charles A. McIsaac, head librarian of Freel from the 1970s. In 1987, the reading room was dedicated to McIsaac during a dedication ceremony. Charles McIsaac was known for his dedication in helping students with their research; he would spend hours searching for details and materials. | Source: Courtesy of MCLA Freel Library.
This picture shows the main floor of the Freel Library, near the circulation desk.
Students gathered around a table; others spread to other seating areas. The library has remained a place for students to gather on campus over the years. | Source: Courtesy of MCLA Freel Library.
This image captures Freel Library’s basement in the 1980s.
The lower level of Freel usually housed computer and computer services in its earlier days. Photographed here are multiple MCLA students from the 80s invested in work and perhaps socialization. | Source: Courtesy of MCLA Freel Library
Sarah Clark and Virginia Morin c.1980 behind the library’s circulation desk.
While the library has gone through changes over the years, the circulation desk remains in its original location since the 70s and is arguably still the heart of the library as students continue to check out books for classwork and research. | Source: Courtesy of MCLA Freel Library.