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One for the books: Juniata College transports library’s contents in recreation of 1963 ‘Book Switch’

By Rachel Foor 4 min read

HUNTINGDON -- It was a day for the history books as dozens of Juniata College students, alumni, faculty and staff transported hundreds of books from storage to the new Statton Learning Commons in a ceremonial recreation of the big "Book Switch" of 1963.

Dubbed the "Book Move," Tuesday's event ushered in a new era for the college's library as the former L.A. Beeghly Library went through a $15 million transformation to become a state-of-the-art learning commons.

While the concept for the facility emerged during the 2016-17 school year, its completion date was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Juniata Provost Lauren Bowen said. The learning commons is now slated to open in time for the upcoming spring semester.

"It is so exciting," Bowen said. "It's lovely to have students from 1963 here to help. While this new facility is about our future, this tradition anchors us in the past."

Juniata President Jim Troha detailed the history of the college's book collection, stating it was originally maintained in Founder's Hall by Juniata's first instructor Jacob Zook in 1876. It was moved to Students Hall in 1895 and then to the Carnegie Library in 1907, where the books stayed until the day of the "Book Switch" on Sept. 19, 1963.

That was the day when about 900 students, faculty and staff carried 60,000 books from Carnegie Library to the then-new L.A. Beeghly Library.

Sandy Andoniades, a member of the Class of 1967, was a freshman and remembered how hot it was during the switch.

"We were in shorts and we must have just gotten out of the freshman requirement of wearing one blue sock and one gold sock, a dink and a placard with our name and hometown on it," Andoniades said. "It was the freshmen that went back and forth all day."

She said the Carnegie Library was about a block from Beeghly, and everyone had to remain in line so the books would stay in order.

"You didn't dare get out of line, and there was no meandering allowed," Andoniades said.

To emphasize how long ago the original book switch occurred and its historic significance to Juniata, Andoniades said that "when we arrived on campus, JFK was still alive."

Professor emeritus Elizabeth "Betty Ann" Cherry was also there that day, although briefly. She recalled how her husband worked as a traffic officer and helped direct the students. Cherry had just started teaching history and general education classes at the college and her office was at home, with her two young children, so she wasn't able to stay long.

It was Cherry's father, then-president Calvert N. Ellis, who led the first parade of book carriers.

"It was a big deal," Cherry said. "The students were required to help out and they loved it. They moved 60,000 books that day. That kind of campuswide experience is what makes Juniata, Juniata."

The tradition continued in a way that surprised many of the faculty in attendance Tuesday.

"I never expected this many people," said Justine Black, director of the Statton Learning Commons. "It really highlights the need for a space like this and that students are thirsting for it."

Bob McDowell, who sits on the Board of Trustees, agreed, stating that he didn't know what to expect but "this is fantastic."

"This facility is going to be an absolute game changer," McDowell said. "It's going to attract not only prospective students, but current students."

Paul Leech, the student government president and a senior at Juniata, said he had been hearing about the 1963 Book Switch since he was a freshman. So when Black reached out to him, looking for student participation in the Book Move, he was excited to take part in the tradition.

"It's really neat to be a part of this experience," Leech said. "It makes us feel like a part of history."

For Troha, the entire event exceeded his expectations.

"It has blown me away," he said. "It's a confluence of generations. The students from 1963 are back with our current students. It's been a lot of fun."

While the volunteers put a large dent in the number of books needing to be transported, Black said that a company with expertise in handling rare books will be moving Juniata's special collections and remaining materials to the learning commons.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.

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