Eager researchers from as far as Japan, Austria and France regularly travel thousands of miles to explore the pages it holds. With reputed superstition of ghosts, dusty books dating to the 1400s and material allegedly tarnished with the blood of a French revolutionary – the light-brown building sits quietly a few yards away from the foot traffic of Middleton Library. Students between classes meander around the structure built in 1925, but seldom do the doors swing open with a curious visitor. One of campus’ first buildings, Hill Memorial Library is one of Louisiana’s few special collections libraries uniquely separated from its main library – Middleton Library. University archives, Civil War records, slave memoirs, photographs and newspaper microfilms – the state document repository holds more than 10 million items with 30,000 being digitized. And the library staff works daily to develop the digital collection, microfilming every issue of at least 90 newspapers in Louisiana. “I wish more students knew what this library had to offer so they could use the resources,” said Elaine Smyth, head of special collections. About 30 professors teaching art, history, theatre, music and sociology courses bring their students to Hill Memorial. The paintings, statues and primary sources offer more than most textbooks, said Smyth who has worked at the library for 20 years. But nearly 50 years ago, there was a time when the information storehouse was a lively hub for students seeking a quiet study area. Then students voted for a bigger library during the 1950s, and Hill Memorial merged with the newly-built Middleton Library in 1958 – campus’ prime studying quarters today. It wasn’t until 1985 the special collections and manuscripts housed in Hill Memorial, returned to their current location. But during this vacant period, Hill Memorial served as a hot spot for the LSU Press, Speech Department and Architecture School studios. “An architecture class in 1970 decided to pull a common prank at the time and put a Volkswagen bug in the hallway of the building,” said Barry Cowan, assistant archivist. Students today are lucky if they can sneak a laptop in Hill Memorial with its renowned tight security. Special collections libraries worldwide attract thieves because of their priceless antiques, and Hill Memorial is no exception. Smyth said Hill Memorial has lucked out when it comes to robberies and credits the rigorous security process visitors go through the moment they enter the building. “It’s a very formal introduction,” Smyth said. “I have a feeling people get intimidated, but we don’t bite.” Visitors are required to show picture identification, sign a check-in sheet, store all belongings in a locker, wear a badge and list the photograph or file they want to see. Self-copies are prohibited in the “pen-free zone”, gloves are not uncommon and leery eyes are cast on dangling jewelry that could tear an archaic file. “The rules are designed to protect the materials,” Smyth said. And Smyth said some materials require students to physically go to the library despite the digitized collection. The oldest printed book in the library is an Italian book about the history of Florence from 1476, and manuscripts from the 1430s fill one brown box. The most valuable publication housed in Hill Memorial is John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.” Smyth said a copy sold for $8 million in 2000. The four-volume bound book has engravings of 435 different birds. Students can also find a unique piece called the “bloody book” in Hill Memorial. “The ‘bloody book’ supposedly has the blood of French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat,” Smyth said. “Supposedly, he was reading the book in the bathtub and was stabbed by Charlotte Corday.” But bloody pages may not be the only “spooky” thing at Hill Memorial. Smyth said there have been accounts of elevators moving up and down spontaneously, and the dark stacks sometimes spook the student workers. “We have to keep the stacks dark because it damages the materials,” said Jessi Mangum, student worker. “It gets creepy, and I hate the elevators.” The animal science sophomore from Mississippi said she has learned more about Louisiana from the library’s primary sources in the isolated stacks than any history book. Mangum said most of the library patrons are graduate students, faculty and visitors of French descent. Smyth said a professor from Germany flew to Louisiana just to study early slave letters located in Hill Memorial. She said they also see patrons from Japan seeking to research Lafcadio Hearn. “I’ve started to look at history in a new light because every day I find something new and fascinating here,” Mangum said.
—-Contact Natalie Messina at [email protected]