Regenstein Library is the main library of the University of Chicago. It has a holding of over 4.4 million volumes and is noted for its brutalist architecture.
History
The library stands on the former grounds of Stagg Field . In 1965, the Joseph Regenstein Foundation gave $10 million to the University for construction of the library. In 1968, the university broke ground and, in 1970, the library opened at the final cost of $20,750,000. The building was designed by the Chicago firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill led by senior architect Walter Netsch. Today, the "Reg" is the flagship institution of The University of Chicago Library system, which is considered among the top five in the world for breadth and depth of material, and receives high marks from users (The Princeton Review placed it in the top five for college students).
Figures
- Area: 577,085 gross feet2.
- Maximum east-west dimension: 344'.
- Maximum north-south dimension: 411'6".
Sources