Samuel Read Hall Library
Encyclopedia
The Samuel Read Hall Library
is the library at Lyndon State College
, a member of the Vermont State College
system. The library is named for Samuel Read Hall
, an educational pioneer and native Vermonter and is located in the Library Academic Center on the college's campus in Lyndon Center
. The mission statement of the SRH Library is “to provide a haven for inquiry and reflection. We support students and the broader community by providing resources, staff and services that encourage research, engage curiosity, and cultivate lifelong learning.”
relocated to its new home on the top of Vail Hill in 1951, the library that had been at the nearby Lyndon Institute
(where the college began as a teacher education program) was moved to Vail Manor and housed in one of the mansion's twin towers. Twelve thousand volumes were moved by hand in one weekend. In 1965, the library expanded into its own building in what is now the Harvey Academic Center. Lyndon Professor Emeritus and Vermont state senator Graham S. Newell
selected Samuel Read Hall as the library’s namesake. In 1972, the current library building was opened, and in 1980, the building won a design award from the American Institute of Architects for being a “bridge” from one side of campus to the other. By 1994, however, the library and the college had both outgrown their space, and so the decision was made to expand the library building into what would become known as the Library Academic Center, or LAC. The renovated building, which opened in 1995, added one floor of library space and one floor of classrooms.
Within the library, there are several areas designated for specific groups or courses of study. The first floor is home to the Center for Rural Students, the periodical archives and the current print periodicals. The second floor houses the majority of the book collection, the Senator Graham S. Newell Vermont room, the Vermont Room historical collection, the college archives, the children’s collection, a computer lab, the Information Technology department, and the Instructional Materials Center, which contains teaching resources for students entering the education field.
The Graham Newell Vermont Room is available for use as a meeting or conference room, and an adjoining room known as the Vermont Room contains a collection of materials relating to the state’s history and, in particular, the three counties of the Northeast Kingdom
: Caledonia
, Essex
, and Orleans
. These include town reports, books, newspapers, geological guides, laws, and more. The library is also home to the college archives, including yearbooks, photographs, student newspapers and other material related to the history of the college.
The LSC Academic Support Center is found on the third floor of the library, along with the reference collection, the Casual Reading Collection and audio and visual media, including CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, records and audiobooks.
There are four group study rooms distributed around the library. One of these study rooms is equipped with a VHS/DVD player, and one is outfitted with a VHS/DVD player, Playstation 3, computer and large television for group viewing. There is a reference/information help desk that is staffed by a librarian between 8AM and 8PM every day. The library is generally open from 8AM-11PM Monday-Thursday, 8AM -4PM Fridays, 12PM-5PM Saturdays and 12PM-11PM Sundays during the academic year.
sculpture can be found in the reading area on the third floor. This nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) statue is a plaster copy of the original, which was discovered in 1863 on the Greek island of Samothrace
. The original is believed to have been created between 300 and 100 B.C. to honor Nike
, goddess of victory and messenger of Zeus and Athena. When originally recovered on Samothrace, the head and arms were not found with the other pieces of the statue http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500817&bmLocale=en, which was in fragments. The right hand was found in 1951 and later reunited with the rest of the original statue, but the copy owned by the library was crafted before the discovery of the hand. The statue is on permanent loan from the Cobleigh Library in Lyndonville
, the home of Lyndon State College. Theodore Vail, then-president of AT&T and the historic owner of the land that Lyndon State College is on, donated the sculpture to Cobleigh in 1906 during the dedication of the library. The library staff at Cobleigh decided to loan the statue to the Samuel Read Hall library when their own space became insufficient for the sizable Nike. The original statue is on display in the Louvre
in Paris.
Eight limited-edition etchings by Vermont artist Brian D. Cohen can be found in the 3rd floor reference area of the library. These etchings were done to illustrate the book Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural history of New England http://www.countrymanpress.com/titles/ReadingForestedLandscape.html by Tom Wessels
. The Art in State Buildings committee is responsible for the etchings’ location in the library, and also for several other works by Vermont artists. Guy Wachtel, an artist from South Newfane, Vermont
, did a painting titled “Girl Reading” which was commissioned in 1997 by this committee. Mimi Love, a painter from Middlebury, also has two paintings on display, both of which are representations of local scenes.
was born in Croydon, New Hampshire
on October 27, 1795 and moved shortly thereafter to Guildhall, Vermont
. He was educated at home and never attended college. Like his father before him, Hall studied for the ministry instead and was licensed to preach in 1823. He received an appointment to serve in Concord, Vermont
, a frontier town of 800. He accepted the position in Concord with the stipulation that he be allowed to open a school for teachers, and on March 11, 1823, he formally established the Columbia School, the first teacher training school in the United States. By November, the school had outgrown its quarters and moved to a new building where the named was changed to the Concord Academy.
In 1829, Hall wrote the first instructional book on teaching, called “Lectures on School Keeping.” This book was so influential and popular that it went through ten printings, and was reissued in 1929 with a new biography of Hall and a bibliography of his works. He continued to teach teachers, and wrote several other textbooks for both teachers and students. He left Concord in 1830 and moved to Andover, Massachusetts
, to become principal of Phillips Andover Academy’s
new teacher training program. In 1837, he moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire
to serve at Holmes-Plymouth Academy and then later, in 1840, he finally moved back to the area of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom
. He was influential in creating the teacher’s training department at Craftsbury Academy, in Craftsbury Common, Vermont
.
Hall’s contributions to educational innovation were recognized in 1839 when he received an honorary Master’s of Arts degree from Dartmouth College
and in 1865 when he received an honorary degree of LL.D., Doctorate of Law from the University of Vermont
.
Samuel Read Hall Library
The Samuel Read Hall Library is the library at Lyndon State College, a member of the Vermont State College system. The library is named for Samuel Read Hall, an educational pioneer and native Vermonter and is located in the Library Academic Center on the college's campus in Lyndon Center. The...
is the library at Lyndon State College
Lyndon State College
Lyndon State College is a public liberal arts college located at Lyndon Center in Lyndon, Caledonia County in the U.S. state of Vermont. In addition to a range of Bachelor's Degree programs, the college offers a Master's Degree program in Education...
, a member of the Vermont State College
Vermont State Colleges
The Vermont State Colleges is the U.S. state of Vermont's system of public colleges. It functions as a governance organization, and was created by act of the Vermont General Assembly in 1961...
system. The library is named for Samuel Read Hall
Samuel Read Hall
Samuel Read Hall was an American educator.He was born in Croydon, New Hampshire, the son of a clergyman. When he was only three years old, his family moved to Guildhall, Vermont. Samuel was home schooled and never attended a college. In 1814 be was employed as a teacher in Rumford, Maine...
, an educational pioneer and native Vermonter and is located in the Library Academic Center on the college's campus in Lyndon Center
Lyndon, Vermont
Lyndon is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,448 at the 2000 census. Lyndon is the home of Lyndon State College. The town contains one incorporated village, Lyndonville and three unincorporated villages: Lyndon, Lyndon Center, and East Lyndon.Lyndon is the...
. The mission statement of the SRH Library is “to provide a haven for inquiry and reflection. We support students and the broader community by providing resources, staff and services that encourage research, engage curiosity, and cultivate lifelong learning.”
Library history
When Lyndon State CollegeLyndon State College
Lyndon State College is a public liberal arts college located at Lyndon Center in Lyndon, Caledonia County in the U.S. state of Vermont. In addition to a range of Bachelor's Degree programs, the college offers a Master's Degree program in Education...
relocated to its new home on the top of Vail Hill in 1951, the library that had been at the nearby Lyndon Institute
Lyndon Institute
Lyndon Institute is an independent high school and boarding school located in the village of Lyndon Center, in the town of Lyndon, Vermont. It provides education for grades 9 through 12 for both commuting local students and students resident on campus....
(where the college began as a teacher education program) was moved to Vail Manor and housed in one of the mansion's twin towers. Twelve thousand volumes were moved by hand in one weekend. In 1965, the library expanded into its own building in what is now the Harvey Academic Center. Lyndon Professor Emeritus and Vermont state senator Graham S. Newell
Graham S. Newell
Graham Stiles Newell was a Republican member of the Vermont State Senate, who represented Caledonia County in the Vermont Senate. He had also been elected to the Vermont House, and was an educator.-Early life:...
selected Samuel Read Hall as the library’s namesake. In 1972, the current library building was opened, and in 1980, the building won a design award from the American Institute of Architects for being a “bridge” from one side of campus to the other. By 1994, however, the library and the college had both outgrown their space, and so the decision was made to expand the library building into what would become known as the Library Academic Center, or LAC. The renovated building, which opened in 1995, added one floor of library space and one floor of classrooms.
Resources
The Samuel Read Hall library now occupies 29239 square feet (2,716.4 m²) and is home to 113,000 volumes, including books, CDs, DVDs, reference books, archival information, curriculum material, audiobooks, maps and games. The library subscribes to 25 periodical databases, with approximately 71,000 searches run annually.Within the library, there are several areas designated for specific groups or courses of study. The first floor is home to the Center for Rural Students, the periodical archives and the current print periodicals. The second floor houses the majority of the book collection, the Senator Graham S. Newell Vermont room, the Vermont Room historical collection, the college archives, the children’s collection, a computer lab, the Information Technology department, and the Instructional Materials Center, which contains teaching resources for students entering the education field.
The Graham Newell Vermont Room is available for use as a meeting or conference room, and an adjoining room known as the Vermont Room contains a collection of materials relating to the state’s history and, in particular, the three counties of the Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
: Caledonia
Caledonia County, Vermont
Caledonia County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 31,227. Its shire town is St. Johnsbury.The county was given the Latin name for Scotland, in honor of the many settlers who claimed ancestry there....
, Essex
Essex County, Vermont
Essex County is the county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 6,306, making it the least-populous county in both Vermont and New England...
, and Orleans
Orleans County, Vermont
Orleans County is one of the four northernmost counties in the U.S. state of Vermont. It borders Canada. In 2010, the population was 27,231. Its county seat is Newport. As in the rest of New England, few governmental powers have been granted to the county...
. These include town reports, books, newspapers, geological guides, laws, and more. The library is also home to the college archives, including yearbooks, photographs, student newspapers and other material related to the history of the college.
The LSC Academic Support Center is found on the third floor of the library, along with the reference collection, the Casual Reading Collection and audio and visual media, including CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, records and audiobooks.
There are four group study rooms distributed around the library. One of these study rooms is equipped with a VHS/DVD player, and one is outfitted with a VHS/DVD player, Playstation 3, computer and large television for group viewing. There is a reference/information help desk that is staffed by a librarian between 8AM and 8PM every day. The library is generally open from 8AM-11PM Monday-Thursday, 8AM -4PM Fridays, 12PM-5PM Saturdays and 12PM-11PM Sundays during the academic year.
Art
The Samuel Read Hall library is home to several pieces of art and sculpture. A replica of the Winged Victory of SamothraceWinged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike . Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.-Description:The Nike of Samothrace,...
sculpture can be found in the reading area on the third floor. This nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) statue is a plaster copy of the original, which was discovered in 1863 on the Greek island of Samothrace
Samothrace
Samothrace is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. It is a self-governing municipality within the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace. The island is long and is in size and has a population of 2,723 . Its main industries are fishing and tourism. Resources on the island includes granite and...
. The original is believed to have been created between 300 and 100 B.C. to honor Nike
Nike (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Nike was a goddess who personified victory, also known as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The Roman equivalent was Victoria. Depending upon the time of various myths, she was described as the daughter of Pallas and Styx and the sister of Kratos , Bia , and Zelus...
, goddess of victory and messenger of Zeus and Athena. When originally recovered on Samothrace, the head and arms were not found with the other pieces of the statue http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500817&bmLocale=en, which was in fragments. The right hand was found in 1951 and later reunited with the rest of the original statue, but the copy owned by the library was crafted before the discovery of the hand. The statue is on permanent loan from the Cobleigh Library in Lyndonville
Lyndonville, Vermont
Lyndonville is a village in the town of Lyndon, in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. Lyndonville's population was 1,227 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, the home of Lyndon State College. Theodore Vail, then-president of AT&T and the historic owner of the land that Lyndon State College is on, donated the sculpture to Cobleigh in 1906 during the dedication of the library. The library staff at Cobleigh decided to loan the statue to the Samuel Read Hall library when their own space became insufficient for the sizable Nike. The original statue is on display in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
in Paris.
Eight limited-edition etchings by Vermont artist Brian D. Cohen can be found in the 3rd floor reference area of the library. These etchings were done to illustrate the book Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural history of New England http://www.countrymanpress.com/titles/ReadingForestedLandscape.html by Tom Wessels
Tom Wessels
Tom Wessels is a terrestrial ecologist and a professor at Antioch University New England in the Department of Environmental Studies, where he founded a master's program in conservation biology...
. The Art in State Buildings committee is responsible for the etchings’ location in the library, and also for several other works by Vermont artists. Guy Wachtel, an artist from South Newfane, Vermont
Newfane, Vermont
Newfane is the shire town of Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,680 at the 2000 census. The town includes the villages of Newfane and Williamsville.-History:...
, did a painting titled “Girl Reading” which was commissioned in 1997 by this committee. Mimi Love, a painter from Middlebury, also has two paintings on display, both of which are representations of local scenes.
Namesake
Samuel Read HallSamuel Read Hall
Samuel Read Hall was an American educator.He was born in Croydon, New Hampshire, the son of a clergyman. When he was only three years old, his family moved to Guildhall, Vermont. Samuel was home schooled and never attended a college. In 1814 be was employed as a teacher in Rumford, Maine...
was born in Croydon, New Hampshire
Croydon, New Hampshire
Croydon is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 764 at the 2010 census.- History :Incorporated in 1763, the town takes its name from Croydon, a suburb of London, England.- Geography :...
on October 27, 1795 and moved shortly thereafter to Guildhall, Vermont
Guildhall, Vermont
-External links:* http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/sets/72157624844998996/with/4943890976/...
. He was educated at home and never attended college. Like his father before him, Hall studied for the ministry instead and was licensed to preach in 1823. He received an appointment to serve in Concord, Vermont
Concord, Vermont
Concord is a town in Essex County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area, and contains the villages of North Concord and Miles Pond.- History :...
, a frontier town of 800. He accepted the position in Concord with the stipulation that he be allowed to open a school for teachers, and on March 11, 1823, he formally established the Columbia School, the first teacher training school in the United States. By November, the school had outgrown its quarters and moved to a new building where the named was changed to the Concord Academy.
In 1829, Hall wrote the first instructional book on teaching, called “Lectures on School Keeping.” This book was so influential and popular that it went through ten printings, and was reissued in 1929 with a new biography of Hall and a bibliography of his works. He continued to teach teachers, and wrote several other textbooks for both teachers and students. He left Concord in 1830 and moved to Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, to become principal of Phillips Andover Academy’s
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
new teacher training program. In 1837, he moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Plymouth is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. Plymouth is located at the convergence of the Pemigewasset and Baker rivers. The population was 6,990 at the 2010 census...
to serve at Holmes-Plymouth Academy and then later, in 1840, he finally moved back to the area of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom
The Northeast Kingdom is a term used to describe the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, comprising Essex, Orleans and Caledonia Counties and having a population of 62,438. In Vermont, the written term "NEK" is often used. The term is attributed to the late George D. Aiken, former...
. He was influential in creating the teacher’s training department at Craftsbury Academy, in Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Craftsbury, Vermont
Craftsbury is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. The town includes the four unincorporated villages of Craftsbury Common, Mill Village, North Craftsbury and East Craftsbury.-Town:...
.
Hall’s contributions to educational innovation were recognized in 1839 when he received an honorary Master’s of Arts degree from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and in 1865 when he received an honorary degree of LL.D., Doctorate of Law from the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
.