A part of the Special Collections, and one we rarely blog on, is the University Archives. This collection contains records, documents, books, and items relating to the university back to its first year, 1886. Included are yearbooks (first issued in 1911, discontinued in 1991), the university newspaper, The Echo (in print and on microfilm), university catalogs from over the years, and mementos covering all four names this university has had (Chattanooga University, US Grant University, University of Chattanooga, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga).
As part of this collection, we have been documenting the progress of the construction of the new $48 million library, due to open in 2014. This will be only the fifth location for the university’s library since the school opened in 1886. From the chilly late January 2010 day when we had the groundbreaking (and 5″ of snow a few hours later) to the first inside tour the internal library building committee got on Friday, March 22, here are a few photographs of the last three years progress.
![Members of the Internal Library Building Committee, library dean, and university administration at the January 2010 groundbreaking. Members of the Internal Library Building Committee, library dean, and university administration at the January 2010 groundbreaking.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/Groundbreaking-050-300x200.jpg)
![The cleared ground on which the library would stand, several months later in April 2010. The cleared ground on which the library would stand, several months later in April 2010.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/April-15-5-2010-300x200.jpg)
![Foundation and support pillars added by October 2011. Foundation and support pillars added by October 2011.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/October-2011-300x225.jpg)
![Crane atop the structure in February 2012. Crane atop the structure in February 2012.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/Feb.-21f-2012-300x225.jpg)
![Internal Library Building Committee, on top floor of the new library, March 22, 2013. Internal Library Building Committee, on top floor of the new library, March 22, 2013.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/New-Building-Tour-group-March-22-2013-300x201.jpg)
![Entrance to the new Special Collections Department, on the top floor on the new library. Entrance to the new Special Collections Department, on the top floor on the new library.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/Inside-050-300x225.jpg)
Entrance to the new Special Collections Department, on the top floor on the new library.
![Architect's rendering of the finished library, to open in 2014. Architect's rendering of the finished library, to open in 2014.](http://blog.lib.utc.edu/archivist/files/2013/03/Front-2-300x164.jpg)