Eric V. Hauser Memorial Library

Eric V. Hauser Memorial Library is the central academic library of Scripps College, a member of The Claremont Colleges consortium in Claremont, California. Dedicated in 1968, the library was named in honor of Eric V. Hauser, a prominent Los Angeles businessman and trustee of the college. It serves as a primary resource for undergraduate research, housing significant collections in the humanities and fine arts while providing integrated services within the broader Claremont University Consortium library system.

History

The library's construction was funded by a major gift from the family of Eric V. Hauser, a former president of the Los Angeles Soap Company and a long-serving member of the Scripps College Board of Trustees. It opened in 1968, replacing the college's original library located in Toll Hall, which had become inadequate for the growing student body. The building was designed by the noted architect Gordon Kaufmann, who also designed the Hoover Dam and the Los Angeles Times Building. Throughout its history, the library has undergone several renovations to update its technological infrastructure and study spaces, most notably in the early 2000s to better accommodate digital resources and collaborative learning. Its development has paralleled the expansion of the Claremont Colleges and their shared library catalog, the Library of Congress Classification.

Architecture and design

Designed in a modernist style by Gordon Kaufmann, the structure is a notable example of mid-20th century academic architecture in Southern California. The building features a rectangular footprint with a central atrium, extensive use of glass, and clean geometric lines, emphasizing natural light and open sightlines. Key interior spaces include the Margaret Fowler Garden reading room, which offers serene views of the adjacent California native plant landscape, and the Ella Strong Denison Library, though the latter is a separate special collections library on the Scripps College campus. The design integrates with the overall aesthetic of the college, which is known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and Myron Hunt-planned core.

Collections and services

The library's collections comprise approximately 200,000 volumes, with particular strengths in art history, literature, music, and gender and women's studies, supporting the liberal arts curriculum of Scripps College. It provides access to millions of additional items through the integrated Claremont University Consortium system, which includes the Honnold Mudd Library and the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. Specialized services include research consultations with subject librarians, access to digital archives like the JSTOR database, and interlibrary loan partnerships with institutions such as the University of California, Los Angeles. The library also houses a curriculum collection supporting the Teacher Education Program at Claremont Graduate University.

Governance and funding

The library operates under the administration of Scripps College, with its director reporting to the college's Provost. It is governed by the policies of the Scripps College Board of Trustees and collaborates closely with the Claremont University Consortium Libraries Council for shared services and collections. Primary funding derives from the college's endowment, annual operating budget, and donor gifts, including those managed by the Scripps College Alumnae Association. Significant past benefactors include the Hauser family, the Fletcher Jones Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which has supported digital humanities initiatives.

Role in the community

As the intellectual hub of Scripps College, the library is integral to undergraduate academic life, hosting information literacy workshops, thesis writing seminars, and exhibitions featuring student and faculty work. It actively collaborates with departments across The Claremont Colleges, such as the Pomona College Art Department and the Claremont McKenna College Roberts Day lectures. The library's spaces, including the Margaret Fowler Garden, are often used for public events, poetry readings, and lectures by visiting scholars like Rebecca Solnit. It further engages the wider Inland Empire community through its participation in regional library networks and by offering limited borrowing privileges to local residents.

Category:Scripps College Category:Libraries in California Category:Claremont, California Category:Buildings and structures in Los Angeles County, California