Hardin Library for the Health Sciences at the University of Iowa Libraries is recognizing two milestones in May 2024: the completion of a major renovation to its fourth floor, including the John Martin Rare Book Room, and serving students, faculty, and staff for 50 years. 

Construction started in October 2022 to convert the fourth floor into a more welcoming space that better meets the evolving needs of students, faculty, and staff. Improvements include: 

• Expanding quiet study space by removing unneeded stacks 
• Upgrading the furniture in the study space  
• Modernizing individual study rooms by upgrading work surfaces, adding sound-dampening, and installing white boards 

“These transformational changes allow us to continue helping students thrive, graduate, and launch their careers as well as support the success of our faculty,” says John Culshaw, Jack B. King university librarian. “This renovation was made possible by a generous grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust. We are extremely grateful for the Trust’s continued partnership in supporting the work of the UI Libraries.”   

The John Martin Rare Book Room houses nearly 6,500 volumes of original works that represent classic contributions to the history of the health sciences from the 15th through the 21st centuries. The area, also on the Hardin Library’s fourth floor, received a new, separate reading room which provides expanded capacity for researcher access to books and space for hosting classes and events. There is also new shelving space in the room, helping to maintain the security and preservation of all JMRBR materials. These updates were made possible through support from the Friends of the Libraries and other philanthropic sources. 

“We have one of the premiere history of medicine collections of printed books in the United States and are grateful to Dr. John Martin, whose gift more than 50 years ago constitutes its core,” says Damien Ihrig, curator for the John Martin Rare Book Room. “The updates allow us to increase the engagement outreach on campus and the larger community. This, in addition to our growing digital presence, continues to make the collection accessible to even more people in Iowa and around the world.” 

The Health Sciences Library opened in May 1974 and was renamed the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences in honor Dr. Robert C. Hardin, whose career spanned more than five decades at Iowa, in 1989. It supports the information needs of the: 

• Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine 
• Colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health  
• Departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

It also serves as the research library for the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. The Hardin Library’s distinct brutalist style was designed by architect Walter Netsch. Netsch designed numerous buildings for U.S. universities and colleges, including the Bowen Science Building and Lindquist Center at Iowa and libraries at Grinnell College, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago.   

“Over the past 50 years, thousands of people have been impacted by the service offered by the Hardin Library and its great staff,” says Janna Lawrence, director of the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences. “There have been so many changes in libraries since 1974 and we continue to evolve, but one thing that has remained is our dedication to provide the best services and resources for our users and that’s something that will carry on for years to come.” 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HARDIN LIBRARY AND ITS HISTORY