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A stoneworker carves the name of Herman B Wells on the Main Library at IU Bloomington.
The wait is over. On June 17, the Main Library on the Bloomington campus changed its name to the Herman B Wells Library, honoring the decades-long service of the revered Indiana University president and chancellor. Wells’ name became synonymous with IU during his presidency, which he began in 1937. His legendary service and vision for the university remained constant and unflagging until his passing in 2000 at the age of 97.
The dedication ceremony included remarks by IU President Adam W. Herbert and IU Foundation President Curt Simic, among other dignitaries.
In 1969 at the Main Library dedication, Wells said, “There is no distinguished university without a great library.” His vision has been realized: In the most recent survey of the Association of Research Libraries, the IU Libraries ranked 12th nationwide, and the Herman B Wells Library alone contains more than four million volumes.
Wells’ association with IU spanned eight decades, beginning when he was a student and progressing through various positions including professor of economics and business administration, dean of the IU School of Business, president, and chancellor. Under Wells’ leadership, IU experienced its greatest growth to become an internationally recognized center of research and scholarship.
Learn more about the naming of the Herman B Wells Library at www.libraries.iub.edu.
See a slide show of the naming ceremony and name carving.
—Geoff Pollock