To spot the Knight Library, look for a long, ornate brick building with tall windows and stone faces peering down from above each window, plus Latin words carved just beneath the roofline.
Alright, bibliophiles and campus explorers, you’ve just arrived at the heart of intellectual adventure: the Knight Library! Standing before you now, picture yourself back in 1937. The air is buzzing-not just with the excitement of a brand-new building, but with the dull thud of hammers and the boom of construction. You’re witnessing the birth of a masterpiece: a marvel of Art Deco architecture topped with bands of mysterious human faces, each one quietly guarding the knowledge inside.
This isn’t just any library. Its grand design shapes the very soul of the University of Oregon campus, thanks to genius architect Ellis F. Lawrence-the same Lawrence who dreamed up so much of the university’s look and who was the very first Dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. He didn’t want a boring box full of books. No, sir! He gave you seven huge windows etched with Latin-Philosophia, Historia, Religio, Ars, Natura, Societas, Litterae-each a window into a major realm of human learning. Step a little closer and you’ll also spot inscriptions above the doors promising you, "Ye shall know the truth,” and, “the truth shall make you free.” Now that’s setting the academic bar pretty high.
Let’s fast-forward a bit. Time marches on and the Knight Library keeps growing. By the 1950s and ’60s, the student body is booming, and so is the collection. What began with a few shelves soon balloons to over 3 million volumes, plus rare manuscripts, photographs, and even architectural drawings in the Special Collections and University Archives. You can almost hear the sound of pages turning and ideas colliding inside.
By the 1990s, the library faces another pivotal moment-imagine the commotion as renovations worth $27 million transform this space, adding a whopping 132,000 square feet. And who chips in? None other than Phil Knight, the legendary co-founder of Nike. But get this-a common myth says he paid for everything, but really, the state government covered most of the bill. Sorry, sneakerheads!
It isn’t always sunshine and quiet reading, though. In 2020, the Knight Library makes headlines for controversy over a mural and heated debates about campus history and values. Staff take action to cover parts of the mural, proving that even a grand old library like this can be at the center of big, important conversations.
Today, Knight Library isn’t just bricks, windows, and ancient statues. It’s a living, breathing hub for more than 20,000 students, a safe haven during finals, and a treasure chest of quirky facts and stories. So, as you stand here, take in the sweep of history, think about everyone who ever came here searching for answers, and remember-“Who asks, finds.” That means, if you don’t know where the bathrooms are, just ask someone inside!
Interested in knowing more about the collections, architecture and inscriptions or the national register of historic places
