History and Timeline of the Pollak Library
Library Name Evolution
1958-1972: Names reflected the college's evolving status (Orange County State College, Orange State College, California State College at Fullerton)
1972-1998: California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) University Library
1998-Present: Paulina June and George Pollak Library
University Librarians:
1959-1983: Ernest Toy (Library Director)
1983-1984: Carolyn Kacena, (Acting) Associate Librarian
1984-1986: Alan Schorr (Interim Library Director)
1986-1987: Robert Emery (Interim Library Director), Professor of Speech Communication
1987-2013: Richard C. Pollard (University Librarian)
2013-2014: Susan Tschabrun (Interim University Librarian)
2014-2017: Scott Hewitt (Interim University Librarian)
2017-2018: Clement Guthro (Library Dean)
2018-2023: Emily Bonney (Interim Library Dean)
2024-Current: Eric Hanson (Library Dean)
Library Locations:
1959: Initially housed in Sunny Hills High School building
1960: Moved to temporary units near Mahr House (now George G. Golleher Alumni House)
1963: Relocated to basement of Science Building (McCarthy Hall)
1966: New six-story library building opened
1996: Library North addition completed, adding 130,000 square feet
Collection Milestones:
1968: Reached 200,000 volumes
1970s: Grew to over 232,000 volumes
1980: Reached 516,537 volumes and nearly 300,000 government documents
2007: Holdings included 1,258,571 volumes
Key Developments:
1966: New library building dedicated, housing 240,000 volumes with seating for 1,580 patrons
1968: Oral History program established with History Department
1989: Electronic catalog system installed, replacing card catalog
2000-2008: Transition to electronic journals, reaching 90% of scholarly periodicals online
2014: Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers (DIRC) established in PLS 170
Notable Collections and Services:
1965: Freedom Center Collection of Polemical Literature established in Special Collections
1965: Patrons of the Library formed to enrich holdings
1966: Science Fiction collection was formed in Special Collections (renamed Willis E. McNelly Science Fiction collection)
1970-1979: Master of Science in Library Science program offered
1971: Collection for the History of Cartography established (renamed Roy V. Boswell Collection for the History of Cartography)
1973: Computerized Information Retrieval Service launched
1989: Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) introduced
Significant Events:
1976: Tragic shooting resulted in loss of seven library staff and patrons, the worst mass murder in OC history until 2011. Memorial Grove with seven pine trees were planted and dedicated in 1978
1992: Landers Earthquake impact on library collections
1998: Renamed after endowment from Paulina June and George Pollak
Special Spaces:
Salz-Pollak Room: Named for June Salz-Pollak, Patron of the Library
Rotary Room (PLN-130): Named in appreciation of Rotary Club of Fullerton donation
Burroughs Bust: Located on 2nd floor north, donated by Professor Robert McLaren
Bibliography
- Koehler, Mary A. Kaleidoscope 1959-84: California State University Fullerton. Fullerton, CA: California State University, Fullerton, 1984.
- Toy, Ernest. Oral history. Not transcribed.
- Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register (previously the Register, previously the Santa Ana Register), and Daily Titan articles were researched for information from contemporary resources.
-
De Graaf, Lawrence Brooks. The Fullerton Way : 50 Years of Memories at California State University, Fullerton. Fullerton, Calif: Center for Oral and Public History/California State University, 2009.
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