The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Clippinger Hall

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Institution Name: Otterbein College
Original/Historic Place Name: Carnegie Library
Location on Campus: 102 College Ave.
Date(s) of Construction:

1908	original construction

Designer: unknown
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Beaux-Arts classicism (Glossary)
Significance: history, religion
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: stone

Walls: brick

Roof: unknown

Function:

ca. 1908-1954	library
ca. 1954-1993	administration (President's office)
ca. 1954-present (2006)	administration (admissions, financial aid)

Narrative:
Of the one hundred and eleven Ohio libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie, only eight of them were given to colleges and universities. Clippinger Hall was one of these buildings and was very important in the development of Otterbein and its curriculum, as it allowed the library collection to grow to match the needs of the college. It was the first building on campus to be built specifically for library facilities and the second oldest on campus today.

References:

Armentrout, Mary Ellen. Carnegie Libraries in Ohio: Our Cultural Heritage, published by the author, 2003.

Bartlett, Willard W. Education for Humanity: The Story of Otterbein College. Westerville, OH: Otterbein College, 1934.

Hancock, Harold B. History of Otterbein College 1930-1972. Westerville, OH: Otterbein College, 1972.

Hurley, Daniel. Otterbein College: Affirming our Past/Shaping our Future. Westerville, OH: Otterbein College, 1996.