In 1926 a new building was built specifically for the library and it was named “Forsyth” after Brevet Brigadier General George Alexander Forsyth. General Forsyth had been stationed at Fort Hays in the 1880s. When the library was dedicated on July 10, 1928, Forsyth Library contained 14,000 volumes. This collection sustained major damage when the flood of May 1951 flooded the first floor of the library with 16 inches of water. When the library moved to its present location the original building was renamed and still stands as McCartney Hall.
The present building was completed in 1967 at a cost of $1,192,321, with one-third of the funds supplied by the Federal Government. It encompassed 105,414 square feet with an unfinished basement, two floors, and a structural capacity for a future third floor. The basement level of the building was finished at a cost of $384,000 in 1974.
In 2017 Forsyth Library housed 506,746 volumes in the physical collection as well as 279,866 electronic books available online.
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Forsyth Library Commemoration Program
Fort Hays State University
This color four page document features a program from the Forsyth Library Commemoration of October 6, 2001 in honor of the 75th anniversary of Forsyth Library as a Federal Depository.
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Innovative Interspace Estimate for Library Window Treatments
Innovative Interspace, Inc.
This color two page document features an estimate from Innovative Interspace, Inc. of Hays, Kansas, for window treatments at Forsyth Library.
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Forsyth Library Study - Office & Special Collections Area Partial Main Floor Plan
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
This black and white one page document features a partial floor plan for the main floor at Forsyth Library.
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Forsyth Library Study - Preliminary Cost Estimates
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
This black and white one page document features a preliminary cost estimate for updates to the Forsyth Library building in October 1988.
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Forsyth Library Study - Supplementary Instruction Lab Partial Basement Floor Plan
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
This black and white one page document features a partial floor plan for the Forsyth Library basement.
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Forsyth Library Study - Supplementary Instruction Lab Cost Estimates
Eric King
This black and white two page document features a memo from Eric King to Karen Cole regarding cost estimates for a Supplementary Instruction Lab located in the basement of Forsyth Library. The second page features a floor plan.
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Open House for the Ethnic Studies Collection Room Program
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
This black and white three page document features a program from an October 1985 open house for the Ethnic Studies Collection Room at Forsyth Library.
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Department Requisition: Library Bureau
Business Office, Fort Hays Kansas State College
This color ten page document features a department requisition for library equipment from the Library Bureau of Mission, Kansas.
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Library Bureau Invoice and Correspondence
Library Bureau
This color seven page document features an invoice and correspondence from Library Bureau for Forsyth Library shelving equipment.
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Ron Bales Incorporated Invoice
Ron Bales, Inc.
This color one page document features an invoice from Ron Bales Inc. of Emporia, Kansas for equipment for the Forsyth Library basement.