Russell Kirk's library remains in Lane; no money to move yet
Mary Petrides
Issue date: 10/8/09 Section: News
About 10,000 books packed in more than 400 boxes, shrink-wrapped, sealed and stacked on wooden pallets sit against Lane Hall's fourth-floor wall.
This is the library of Russell Kirk, a 20th-century conservative American thinker.
Hillsdale College purchased the library from Kirk's estate when he died in the early 1990s, Dan Knoch, library director, said.
Linda Moore, public services librarian, said Kirk's library includes history, philosophy and literature.
"He had sort of a wide variety of interests," Moore said.
The college plans to build an extension to Mossey Library dedicated to Kirk. The Kirk Room will be connected to the Heritage Room, extending toward Delp Hall. Parts of the collection will be displayed in the room, along with the Kirk portrait that now hangs in Knoch's office.
"The college will build it when they have the money. It could be next year; it could be seven years," Moore said. "They just have to find a donor who wants to give for that cause."
Moore said she hopes the library will have duplicate copies of all Kirk's works available to the public. The library already has some.
"Special collections are never put out just for anyone to rummage through," she said.
Originally, Kirk's library was arranged in a way that only he understood, Moore said.
"He knew where everything was, but no one else did," she said.
The books were taken from Kirk's shelves in Library of Congress order and packed in white boxes, which were then numbered, she said. When the Kirk room opens, shelves can be filled quickly because the books are already in order.
The books were originally stored in the Wilbur J. Carr Memorial Library, located roughly where Grewcock Student Union is. Carr Library was removed in fall 2006 to make room for the new student union, Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said. The books were then moved to the basement of Delp.
By 2007, the college needed more office space for professors. The books were moved to the fourth floor of Lane to make room for the first-floor Delp offices.
This is the library of Russell Kirk, a 20th-century conservative American thinker.
Hillsdale College purchased the library from Kirk's estate when he died in the early 1990s, Dan Knoch, library director, said.
Linda Moore, public services librarian, said Kirk's library includes history, philosophy and literature.
"He had sort of a wide variety of interests," Moore said.
The college plans to build an extension to Mossey Library dedicated to Kirk. The Kirk Room will be connected to the Heritage Room, extending toward Delp Hall. Parts of the collection will be displayed in the room, along with the Kirk portrait that now hangs in Knoch's office.
"The college will build it when they have the money. It could be next year; it could be seven years," Moore said. "They just have to find a donor who wants to give for that cause."
Moore said she hopes the library will have duplicate copies of all Kirk's works available to the public. The library already has some.
"Special collections are never put out just for anyone to rummage through," she said.
Originally, Kirk's library was arranged in a way that only he understood, Moore said.
"He knew where everything was, but no one else did," she said.
The books were taken from Kirk's shelves in Library of Congress order and packed in white boxes, which were then numbered, she said. When the Kirk room opens, shelves can be filled quickly because the books are already in order.
The books were originally stored in the Wilbur J. Carr Memorial Library, located roughly where Grewcock Student Union is. Carr Library was removed in fall 2006 to make room for the new student union, Vice President of Administration Rich Péwé said. The books were then moved to the basement of Delp.
By 2007, the college needed more office space for professors. The books were moved to the fourth floor of Lane to make room for the first-floor Delp offices.
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