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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Purchase Voucher: Hoover Bros. Inc.
Business Office, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A purchase voucher for library equipment from Hoover Brothers, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri.
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Requisition for Supplies: Fort Hays Kansas State College Buildings
Business Office, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A requisition for supplies relating to the construction and installation of newspaper racks at Forsyth Library.
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Remarks for Library Dedication
Marc T. Campbell
A document containing remarks given at the Forsyth Library Dedication on October 21, 1967.
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Department Requisition: Grinnan Fixture Company
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A department requisition for library equipment from Grinnan Fixture Company of Minerva, Ohio.
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Department Requisition: Lawrence Metal Products, Inc.
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A department requisition for library equipment from Lawrence Metal Products, Inc. of Lynbrook, New York.
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Department Requisition: Wallach & Associates, Inc.
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A department requisition for library equipment from Wallach & Associates, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio.
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Forsyth Library entrance diagram
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A hand-drawn diagram of the traffic control system at the entrance of Forsyth Library.
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Forsyth Library Statistics
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A document providing statistics on the new building for Forsyth Library located at 502 S. Campus Drive.
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Hand drawn floor plan - Forsyth Library
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A hand drawn floor plan of the first and second floors of Forsyth Library
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Library fixture colors
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A list of equipment in Forsyth Library along with their corresponding quantities and color selections.