Robert H. Goddard Library

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Robert H. Goddard Library
Robert H. Goddard Library, Clark University, Worcester Massachusetts.jpg
Goddard Library in 2020
Robert H. Goddard Library
42°15′6″N71°49′23″W / 42.25167°N 71.82306°W / 42.25167; -71.82306
Location Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Established1969
Access and use
Population served Clark University
Other information
Website Goddard Library at Clark University

The Robert H. Goddard Library is the primary library of Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. The library was named after rocketeer Robert H. Goddard, who earned a M.A. and Ph.D. at Clark in the 1910s. The building was built in 1969 [1] and remodeled in 2009. The brick and concrete building was designed by architect John M. Johansen in the Brutalist style. [2] [3]

Contents

History

Planning and Fundraising

The catalyst for the library's development began in the late 1950s. In 1959 [4] , the Clark University Development Council developed a thirty-month study that led to the inception of the Clark Program. The Clark Program embarked on a ten-year project with the goal of raising nearly $22 million for further residential development and the construction of a library that would replace, in the existing library built in the early 1900s. [5] In 1962, the Board of Trustees was given the task of planning and constructing the library through its Library Sub-Committee, [5] chaired and founded by trustee Alice C. Higgins. [6] With regard to development, 1965 saw the establishment of a Goddard Library Program, which contained a series of committees, including the international sponsors committee and the fund drive, which was chaired by J. Leland Atwood. Atwood's standing as the President of North American Aviation meant that Clark's fundraising efforts had elevated to a national level. As a result, corporate contributions raised roughly $1.5 million of the $5.4 million raised for the library's development. [4]

Construction

A key milestone in the development of the building was the search for an architect that would tackle the mammoth project. It was decided by the subcommittee that the architect should be based in New England or New York, which would allow for his accessibility and availability for the work. The committee visited twenty-two sites to view work by twelve artists. Seven of those architects were invited to Worcester to present their work. Among that group, John Johansen, last of the "Harvard Five" [7] and designer of major constructions such as the U.S Embassy in Dublin, Ireland, [8] was chosen. [6]

Two months before the opening of the library, Willard Rockwell's Rockwell Foundation gave 75,000 dollars towards the establishment of a periodical room in the library. [9] On May 19, 1969, the Goddard Library was dedicated in ceremony attended by the likes of U.S Senator Ted Kennedy, and Esther Goddard, the widow of Robert H. Goddard who was responsible for cutting the ribbon. Also in attendance at the dedication were John Leland Atwood, president of the North American Rockwell Corp; library architect John M. Johansen; Clark trustee Alice C. Higgins; Student Council President Michael Feldman; and astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Aldrin was honored with an honorary degree at the dedication ceremony.

Fifty years later, on March 13, 2019, Clark University commemorated the anniversary of the building's opening, and paid tribute to namesake Robert H. Goddard, with an evening of lectures by Clark administrators and distinguished guests. [2]

Academic Commons at Goddard Library

The Academic Commons at Goddard Library is a study space opened in January 2009 as part of the building's renovations. It includes Clark's primary computer lab, a cafe and study space. [10]

The library also houses the ITS Help Desk, which aids the student body, as well as faculty and staff, on the first floor in the Academic Commons. [11]

Collections and features

The Dr. Robert H. Goddard Collection and the Robert Goddard Exhibition Room are housed in the Archives and Special Collections area of the library. Outside the library lies a structure depicting the flight path of Goddard's first liquid fuel rocket. In 2008, the library digitized Goddard's collection through a 40,000 dollar grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. [12]

References

  1. ↑ Library honors rocket science pioneer March 27, 2002, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  2. 1 2 Gibson, Anne (March 4, 2019). "Clark community to celebrate 50 years of Goddard Library". Clark University. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bluffton.edu
  4. 1 2 Koelsch, William A. (1987). Clark University 1887-1987: A Narrative History. USA: Clark University Press. ISBN   0914206257.
  5. 1 2 "Named for the father of the space age, Goddard Library helped Clark launch a successful future". ClarkU News. October 24, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Higgins, Alice C. (Spring 1990). "In the Beginning". Newsletter. Clark University, 950 Main St., Worcester, MA 01610: Friends of the Robert Hutchings Goddard Library. pp. 3–4.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. ↑ "Early-Works". johnmjohansen.com. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  8. ↑ "US-Embassy-Dublin". johnmjohansen.com. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  9. ↑ Rockwell gives 75,000 March 29, 1969, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  10. ↑ "Revamped library welcomes Clark University students back from break" (Press release). Clark University. January 12, 2009. Archived from the original on September 2, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Get Help | Information Technology Services | Clark University". www.clarku.edu. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  12. ↑ Goddard materials now online November 26, 2008, Worcester Telegram and Gazette
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