When Biddle University was established, the school did not have a library building. Dr. Stephen Mattoon, the first president of Biddle, provided books to students from his personal library. After a fire destroyed Dr. Mattoon’s home and his collection of books, establishing a campus library for the student body became a priority. The first campus library was housed in a large room on the first floor of Biddle Hall, the University’s first administrative building. The library contained 2,500 books, some newspapers and some magazines donated by scholarly ministers.

After Dr. Daniel J. Sanders became president of the University in 1891, he met with Booker T. Washington to discuss the need for a library facility. Booker T. Washington introduced Dr. Sanders to Mr. Andrew Carnegie, founder of the Carnegie Steel Company and a well-known philanthropist. Mr. Carnegie agreed to donate $12,500 for the erection of a new library if the University would raise matching funds. The Board of Missions for Freedmen accepted this offer on behalf of the University. When Dr. Sanders died in 1907, the University had raised almost $4,000.00 for the library. Under the administration of the new president, Henry Lawrence McCrorey, the University raised the additional funds necessary to match Carnegie’s donation. The Carnegie Library was built in 1911 at a cost of $15,000 and continued to improve with more renovations in 1955.

Carnegie Library

Theodus L. Gunn became the first trained librarian with a Bachelor of Library Science degree from Hampton Institute in 1930. Eventually with the University expanding its academic programs and enrollment increasing, the Carnegie Library was no longer adequate to serve the needs of the University. The Carnegie building is still standing on the campus of the University today, although it is no longer used as a library.

Previous James B. Duke Memorial Library, 1967

A new library was built in 1967 and named in memory of James Buchanan Duke. This library facility accommodated the needs of the University for 30 years.

The most recent reconstruction of the James B. Duke Library began in 1998 and was completed in September 1999. The infrastructure of the new library was designed to accommodate changes brought about by the technological revolution in the way information is exchanged and accessed. The building is a state of the art facility with 56,553 square feet and seating for 430. The library has specialized features, including a Modern Communications Room for data/video projection, a Learning Laboratory for media production and viewing/listening stations, a Bibliographic Instruction Classroom, a Curriculum Laboratory, two conference rooms, and eight study rooms. The James B. Duke Memorial Library also houses the Inez Moore Parker Archives and Research Center with a total shelving capacity of 1,260 linear feet. With this facility, the library is well-equipped to function as the information resource center for the University community.