Lister Hill Library
The Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, located at 1700 University Boulevard, is the health sciences/biomedical library for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It was established in 1945 and is the largest biomedical library in Alabama as well as being one of the largest in the Southeastern United States. The library is named for former Senator Lister Hill. The Reynolds Historical Library and the Alabama Museum of the Health Sciences are housed on the 3rd floor of the library.
The medical library moved to Birmingham with the University of Alabama's medical school in 1945. By October of that year a space on the 6th floor of Hillman Hospital was set aside for the collection. The library absorbed other collections and expanded into space in the South wing of the new Hillman Building in 1952.
Construction of a new library building began on July 30, 1968 and concluded with the dedication of the newly-renamed library, now part of the autonomous University of Alabama at Birmingham, on October 19, 1971.
On September 14, 1994 ground was broken for a major expansion and renovation of the Lister Hill Library. Proceeding in phases that minimized disruption to library services the newly-expanded and remodeled building was rededicated on May 2, 1997. A statue of Hippocrates, formerly located outside the building, was moved into the building's lobby as part of the renovations.
On August 1, 2008 the library began limiting access to students, faculty and state health professionals.
In August of 2015, John Meador became the dean of the UAB Libraries.
Directors
- March - June 1945: Mary Ament (Librarian)
- September 1945 - 1955: Mildred Crowe (Librarian, Chief Librarian)
- Summer 1955 - 1977: Sarah Cole Brown (Chief Librarian, Director)
- 1977 - 1978: Hilda Harris (Acting Director)
- 1978 - 1987: Richard Fredericksen (Director)
- Fall 1987: Lynn Fortney (Acting Director)
- August 1, 1988 - July 1992: Virginia Algermissen (Director)
- July 1992 - 1995: Nancy Clemmons (Acting Director)
- October 27, 1995 - 2015: T. Scott Plutchak (Director)
- August 2015 - present: John Meador (Dean of UAB Libraries)
References
- "Library Deputy Director, Nancy Clemmons, Retires." Lister Hill Letter 16.6 (2006): 2+ . 11 Apr. 2008 <http://www.uab.edu/lister/letter/lhletter0606.pdf>.
- Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences (February 25, 2008) "About Lister Hill Library" - retrieved April 10, 2008
- Verchot, Martha (1997) "Lister Hill Library Historical Timeline – 1945 to present" - retrieved April 10, 2008
- Thomason, Shannon (October 28, 2015) "Libraries, the heart of research universities, hold the key to student, faculty success" - retrieved July 12, 2016