Image of the Moose Jaw Public Library. There is a man standing on the front steps of the library and a horse-drawn vehicle driving up to the front door.

Looking north at Observatory. Medical College in background at left; Chemistry and Murray Memorial Library visible at right.

Bio/Historical Note: The Observatory was designed by Gentil J.K. Verbeke and constructed in two phases using local limestone from 1928-1930 for about $23,000. The R. J. Arrand Contracting Co. was contracted to build the Observatory Tower in 1928 for a cost of $6625. The firm completed the tower $353 under budget on 14 April 1929, for $6,272. On 20 June 1929 R. J. Arrand was again awarded a contract by the University, this time to build the small classroom wing of the Observatory for $15,640. Work on the classroom wing was completed on 23 January 1930 for $15,034.50. University funding for the construction of the building was supplemented by private donations. Along with the Field Husbandry Building, the Observatory would be among the last free-standing buildings constructed on campus until after World War II. A plaque with the names of many donors still hangs inside the dome of the observatory. Saskatoon residents will find many of the names highly recognizable even today. A sundial was added to the exterior of the Observatory during the 1940s. It reads:
I am a Shadow
So art thou
The observatory facilities are available for use by both university students and visitors to the campus. The telescopes and other scientific equipment are used by students during the laboratory component of their courses. University personnel regularly offer tours of the observatory to elementary and high school classes, youth groups and other community associations. The Observatory is staffed year-round on Saturday nights so that any visitor may view celestial objects through the telescope.

F.H. Auld, University Chancellor, speaks before unveiling a portrait of Walter C. Murray, first University President.

Bio/Historical Note: Though the first recorded withdrawal from the University Library occurred in October 1909, nearly five decades passed before the Library had its own building. The early collection was housed either on the second floor of the College Building (later known as the Administration Building) or was scattered among a number of small departmental libraries. Plans for a new library building in the late 1920s were ended by the start of the Great Depression; but a dramatically reduced acquisitions budget was offset by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1933. In 1943 the University hired its first professional Librarian. A combination of provincial grants and University fundraising financed the construction of the Murray Memorial Library. The library was named after the University’s first President, Walter C. Murray. Designed by noted Regina architect Kioshi Izumi working under H.K. Black, Architect, it marked a change in campus architecture away from the more angular and elaborate Collegiate Gothic style to that of the less expensive cube. Building materials included granite at the entrance and Tyndall stone as a wall cladding and window trim. In addition to the library, the building housed the College of Law, an office of the Provincial Archives and a 105-seat lecture theatre equipped with the latest in audiovisual teaching aids. The most dramatic transformation took place between 1970 and 1976 when a six floor south wing was added along with an extensive renovation of the 1956 structure. Designed by BLM, Regina, the south wing was unlike any other building on campus. Clad in Tyndall stone panels made to look like concrete (through a "bush hammered" finish), the grey almost windowless building is industrial and utilitarian in appearance. The University's master plan required buildings in the core of campus to be clad in stone. However, the "bush hammered" finish was used since the Library addition was built during a period that saw the flowering of "Brutalist" Architecture, so called because of the wide use of exposed concrete. The new (south) wing, originally called the Main Library, was officially opened on 17 May 1974, and also became the home of the Department of Art and Art History, the College of Graduate Studies and the University Archives.

Members of the Rosetown Kinsmen Club and members of the Library Board are shown holding a large cheque for $1,000 representing a donation to the library. The cheque is dated Dec. 31, 1966. L-R: Ken Cave and Lysle Spence, Kinsmen members; Marjorie Wiseman, Library Board; Signa Gilchrist, Librarian; Margaret Clarke, Library Board; Nat Wyshynski, Kinsmen; Norma Whitfield, Library Board, Louis Sparks, Kinsmen.

Interior of the new Library in the Thorvaldson Building, showing work desks and bookshelves.

SE winter view of the present library built in 1967 and located in Lovett Park. This was taken before the ramp was built, placing the date as 1967-68.

Polaroid snapshot of Jeanne Bertolo shelving books with help from her baby sister.

Polaroid of Judy Jeffery taken at library check out desk. Judy has autographed the mounting cardboard.

Taken at library standing in front of shelved books, Judy is wearing the school uniform of St. Joseph's Convent School.

L-R: Debbie Lefevre, Carolyn Bertolo, Pat Masear holding volunteer award certificates.

David Down sitting behind the check-out desk in the library.

Student volunteers 1969: back row, L-R: Sharon Herout, Linda Johnston, Lydia Ivashczenko. Front row: Debbie Auckland, Kathy Kellington, Debbie Fletcher, Kristin Dorotkiewicz, Judy Lefevre. Kneeling: Bob Taylor.

L-R: Debbie Fletcher, Lydia Ivashczenko, Bob Taylor