The first degrees for full-time students of the South Bend campus were awarded in 1967. In 1968, the IU Trustees renamed all of the regional campuses, and the official name for the South Bend campus became “Indiana University at South Bend.” Under the leadership of Head Librarian Donna Harlan, the library’s collections increased substantially. By 1968, the library had acquired a collection of university documents collected by librarian Virginia Humnicky and a large donation of rare performing arts-related materials from James Lewis Casaday. These early donations formed the nucleus of the IU South Bend Archives and Special Collections.
By 1971, enrollment exceeded 5,000 students. An extension called Northside West was added to Northside Hall. This extension included an expanded library facility to replace the modest single-room library in the original Northside. The new library occupied three floors, with the entrance on the top floor and a single open stairway that led to the two floors below. This expansion afforded more space for the library’s 120,000 volume collection, as well as additional seating, offices, and equipment. By the time Head Librarian Donna Harlan departed in 1977, the library held over 175,000 volumes.
To meet the needs of the expanding teacher education program, a Learning Resource Center (LRC) opened in the 1970s in Room 111 of Greenlawn Hall. The LRC included print materials that would help pre-service teachers develop their lesson plans and research skills, as well as a small production area with equipment for learning how to integrate technology into the classroom. This facility opened under the management of the Division of Education (later the School of Education).
Photos courtesy of the IU South Bend Archives.
In 1978, the IU system hired James L. Mullins as its first official library director at IU South Bend. This was a clear indication of the importance of IU South Bend as an expanding institution, both to the local community as well as the region and the larger IU system. Two years later, the Learning Resource Center, under supervisor Al Large, came under the management of the Library and began operating as a self-standing auxiliary unit, charging for printing and the creation of visual aids.
Last reviewed: 08/2021