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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Completion of Basement of Library
Building Committee, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A document containing a full explanation of the library basement completion project
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Fort Hays Kansas State College Department of Library Science Policies and Procedures for Selection of Instructional Materials
Department of Library Science, Fort Hays Kansas State College
The Policies and Procedures for Selection of Instructional Materials for the Fort Hays Kansas State College Department of Library Science.
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Description of Journalism Collection
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A document detailing the scope and purpose of the Forsyth Library Journalism collection.
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Description of Speech and Drama Collection
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A document detailing the purpose and scope of the Forsyth Library Speech and Drama collection.
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Forsyth Library selection policy
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays Kansas State College
A memo indicating a desire by Forsyth Library librarians to use the Library Bill of Rights as a basis for the library selection policy.
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Academic Facilities Program Equipment List
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
A document detailing the general requirements for the steel book stack equipment and shelving for Forsyth Library.
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Forsyth Library basement floor plan
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
An early version of the Forsyth Library basement floor plan.
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Forsyth Library Bibliographic Instruction flyer
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
A Forsyth Library flyer providing information on bibliographic instruction and distance services
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Forsyth Library Government Documents Department brochure
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
An informational brochure for the Forsyth Library Government Documents Department.
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Forsyth Library Ordering Resources flyer
Forsyth Library, Fort Hays State University
A Forsyth Library flyer providing information on ordering resources at Forsyth Library.
