University Libraries
The integration of Sprague Library and Bloomfield College Library has resulted in a new entity known as Montclair State University Libraries. Students, faculty, and staff now have unified access to a wealth of resources and services enhancing the library experience and fostering collaboration and innovation. Montclair State University Libraries will jointly serve as hubs for student success, intellectual exploration, research, and community engagement.
A History of Knowledge – Bloomfield College Library
Bloomfield College Library was originally situated in the Talbot building, currently the Student Center. Recognizing the need for a modern, up-to-date academic library, a fund was started in the mid-1990s to build the current library located at 74 Oakland Avenue. After the successful completion of the fund raising, ground was broken (requiring the relocation of an historic house) and the new library was completed in the year 2000.
The library quickly became the focal point of the campus, the most recent addition in over 40 years. To this day, it is a focal point for visitors to the college, including prospective students.
A History of Knowledge – Sprague Library
Montclair’s first library was located in College Hall (now known as Susan A. Cole Hall); it was located where the atrium stands today. In the 1930’s, President Harry A. Sprague expanded the space for the library with the help of a $6,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation.
Harry A. Sprague Library opened in the Fall of 1963 and was dedicated to President Harry A. Sprague on May 2, 1964. It had three floors, and was planned to accommodate 800 students and an eventual collection of 200,000 volumes.
An additional 42,000 square feet was added to the library building in 1993. The addition included space for 300 additional seats and shelving for 75,000 more volumes. A new computer lab was added, and the reference, government documents, and non-print departments were renovated. To round out the space, the construction of a café, attached to the library, began in 2006 and officially opened in January, 2007.