History of the collection to 1953
"Before the Seminary’s opening, committees from the Board began collecting books for the library. Each presbytery
appointed such a committee in 1829, and about three hundred volumes were collected. By 1850 there were 4,582
volumes. The library was housed on the third floor [of Ansley Hall or Ainslie Hall].” (LaMotte, 54) "The library
consisted of 5,296 volumes in 1854; the Smyth Library was purchased in 1856, adding 11,520 volumes. In 1863 there
were 17,778 volumes.” (LaMotte, 116) By the early 20th century, the collection also included "the personal libraries
of Rev. John Douglas, Dr. George Howe, Dr. S. Beach Jones, Dr. S. M. Smith, and Dr. J. W. Flinn.” (LaMotte, 192) "The
library, of some 32,000 volumes in 1926, many of which are rare books, was transported to Decatur and housed in the
Campbell Hall. The library of Dr. R. C. Reed, some 2,000 books, was presented by the family of the deceased. Dr.
Thornton Whaling gave his library of about the same size…In the fall of 1936 the library was being fully catalogued,
and an expert librarian assumed charge.” (LaMotte, 231) By the time a separate building was constructed for the
library in 1953, the collection numbered approximately 40,000 volumes. (Richards, 81)
