10                                  Kenneth A. Lohf

behind him. "Oh," he said almost nonchalantly, "they're the
plans for the new library." "When will it be built?" I asked
eagerly, for I knew immediately that I wanted to be there when
it happened. "Nothing definite just now," he replied adding con-
 

Demolition of portions of the sixth and seventh floors of Butler Library

began in early September 1983 and construction began the

following month.

fidently, "but it will be built." "Within a month after that inter¬
view I joined the staff, and from that time I suppose I thought
about, imagined, and planned for the new Rare Book and i\Ianu-
script Library that has now, twenty-seven years later, been con¬
structed.

When Butler Library was built more than fifty years ago no
provisions were made for rare books and manuscripts, so the