The first building on campus to be used exclusively as a library opened in 1921 to relieve overcrowded conditions. Located near the current site of the ConocoPhillips Alumni Center, its "Italian Renaissance" design featured a two-story arched entry.

The new library had almost 9,500 square feet of floor space on the first floor (photo) and 8,000 on the second floor. As big as it seemed at the time, with the return of veterans following World War II, the need for a Quonset hut annex (pictured) was necessary. Several branch libraries continued to be located in other buildings on campus.