Phillips Administration Building

The Phillips Administration Building, originally the M. Paul Phillips Library and later the M. Paul Phillips Building is a 3-story office building located on the academic quad at Birmingham-Southern College.

The building was erected in 1924 as a research library, made possible by a $50,000 gift from Steel City Lumber Company president M. Paul Phillips, a close friend of Birmingham-Southern president Guy Snavely. Earl Cline was the contractor for the project, which was constructed of fire-proof brick.

Between 1929 and 1935 the Carnegie Foundation provided the library with a total of $52,500 to purchase art books and prints, to fund general acquisitions, to acquire reference materials, and to equip the Phillips Library with steel shelving and desks. Miller, Martin & Lewis Architects performed architectural services to accommodate the new equipment in 1932.

The building was remodeled for science laboratories in 1951. Renovation and equipment costs ran to approximately $500,000.

In 1976 the building was remodeled as an administrative office building housing the college's admissions and financial aid departments. It also included administrative and rehearsal facilities for the Birmingham-Southern College Symphonic Band and Birmingham-Southern College Jazz Band.

Library directors

• William S. Hoole, –1937
• Charles Matthews, 1937–

References

• "Birmingham Has Good Building Year" (January 25, 1924) The Dixie Manufacturer. Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 7-8
• Sims, Katherine (October 22, 1937) "College Library Developed From Single Room Affair With Two Thousand Books To Present M. Paul Phillips Building." The Gold and Black. Vol. 20, No. 6, p. 1