Our Timeline

The Health Sciences Library was established in 1969, created to serve the fledgling School of Health Affairs. As the timeline below shows, the library has grown from a one-person operation in an old cafeteria to a modern information facility.

1969
Health Affairs Library established. Dr. Jo Ann Bell hired as director. The library, located in an old cafeteria, consisted of twelve tons of donated books on a steam table and one professional librarian.

Jo Ann Bell (L) and Deborah Higson: Library in South Cafeteria in Summer 1970

1970
Moved to the Biology Building in August.

Library opens for service in the Biology Building for 70 hours per week with one librarian (Jo Ann Bell) and one clerical employee (Deborah Higson) in September 1970.

1971
The General Assembly appropriated $350,000 to establish the Health Affairs Library to serve Allied Health and Social Professions, Nursing, and the proposed school of medicine.

1972
Moved to the Belk Building. Collection: 12,683 volumes. 3 librarians and 1 support staff.

Circulation Desk, Indexes, and Journals in Belk, Summer 1973

1973
The National Library of Medicine approved the Health Affairs Library as a MEDLINE center for the 1973-1974 academic year. The Library also was the recipient of a RML grant for working with community hospitals.

1974
During 1974-1975, EAHEC and the Health Affairs Library signed a contract for the library to operate as the learning resource center for the region.

1976/1977
Annex (two double-wide modular units attached to the Belk Building) completed and occupied.

1978
The Health Affairs Library began using the terminal-based OCLC network for cataloging.

1980
The Health Affairs Library became the Health Sciences Library. The library also purchased two TRS-80 microcomputers to process the current journal list.

1981
Moved to the Brody Building. Collection: 87,550 volumes. 13 librarians (Director, Assoc. Director, 6.5 Public Service, 4.5 Technical Service), 18 support staff.

Jo Ann Bell (L) and Susie Speer Packing Indexes in Dec. 1981

1982
Health Sciences Library Opened in the Brody Building in January 1982. Collection: 87,550 volumes. 13 librarians (Director, Assoc. Director, 6.5 Public Service, 4.5 Technical Service), 18 support staff.

Dedication of the Brody Medical Sciences Building in October.

1984
LS/2000 Integrated Library System installed and many library functions automated. LS/2000 Brochure Page 1 and Page 2

The day LS/2000 (our Integrated Library System) was introduced with Donna May and Alice Clark (behind desk).

1985
Computer lab was established in the Audiovisuals Department with 6 IBM PCs and 3 Apple IIe’s. Classes began searching the online catalog and user-friendly databases.

First Health Sciences Library Computer Fair held in September 1985.

1987
Funeral held for the Card Catalog, which was being removed, in July.

Cortege for Card Catalog in 1987. (Jo Ann Bell is the 1st person behind the catalog.)

1988
Second floor renovated to enlarge journal stacks and create an expanded Computer Lab. Collection: 140,669 volumes. 12 librarians (Director, 7 Public Service, 4 Technical Service), 23 support staff.

1989
Heath Sciences Library celebrated 20th anniversary in September.

Publication of Information On Call, a client newsletter, began. Page 1 Page 2

1991
Guidelines were established for providing off-campus library services.

1992
Local Medline network installed; database available to clients in-house and by dial-access.

All library employees had a desktop PC and were linked to each other, and to remote information resources, via local area network.

1993
Library named for Dr. William E. Laupus, a former Dean of the School of Medicine. Program

Marquis Integrated Library System installed to replace LS/2000.

1994
First floor reference area remodeled. Collection: 169,027 volumes. 13 librarians (Director, 10 Public Service, 2 Technical Service) 26.5 support staff.

1997
Dr. Jo Ann Bell, Director, retires after 30 years of service.

“Library Director Lift” JoAnn Bell’s Retirement Reception on January 30, 1997; with from left Nina Exner, Phillip Pekala, and Joe Chalovich

Dr. Dorothy A. Spencer named as new director.

Collection: 177,015 volumes. 15 librarians (Director, 9 Public Service, 3 Technical Service, 2 Systems) 26.5 Support Staff.

1998
Library remodeling project begins, involving all library departments. Photo 1 Photo 2

1999
North Carolinians enthusiastically voted to permit the issuance of $3.2 billion in higher education construction bonds which included funding for a new library as part of the Learning Village project.

All journal records are now online.

Laupus Library Celebrates its 30th Anniversary in September 10, 1999. Hurricane Floyd Makes Landfall in NC on September 16.

Reception on the “Dance Floor”: Janet Heath (pouring) and William E. Laupus, MD

2001
Wireless computer access was established.

The library newsletter Information on Call became News in Brief.

2002
Criminal Justice and Social Work collections moved to Joyner Library.

2003
The Country Doctor Museum’s Board of Directors dissolved itself and donated the Museum and its collections to the Medical Foundation of ECU. Laupus Library took over the management of the Museum. Photo

2004
The Learning Village Groundbreaking Ceremony was held for the Laupus, Allied Health, and Nursing Building (later renamed the Health Sciences Building).

The Country Doctor Museum reopened to the public. Invitation

Rededication of Country Doctor Museum – Ribbon Cutting 2004, Far left: Dr. Robert C. Frazier Sr. (then mayor of Bailey), Interim Chancellor William E. Shelton, VC for Health Sciences Michael J. Lewis, Laupus Director Dorothy Spencer

The Library received the Karel B. Absolon History of Medicine Library, a major donation of over 2,000 items related to the history of medicine. Photo

The Medical History Interest Group held its first lecture. Flyer

2005
The 1st Annual Faculty Author Recognition Awards program was held. Program

2006
Laupus Library moves to the new Health Sciences Building. Timeline Flyer Page 1, Page 2

Ribbon cutting ceremony for the new location held on September 22, 2006.

The library newsletter News in Brief became The Umbrella.

History Collections Reading Room welcomes its first visitor on October 31, 2006.

2007
Evelyn Fike Laupus Portrait and Gallery is dedicated.

Dr. Yuandong Ji, Dr. Chunguang Li, Mrs. Laupus, and Dr. Spencer during the dedication ceremony for the Evelyn Fike Laupus Portrait and Gallery

2008
The Inaugural Friends of Laupus Library was launched.

2009
The East Carolina University Libraries, Laupus and Joyner, installed Symphony, a new integrated library system. ECU students, staff, and faculty have a single library account. The online catalog contained more than 1.7 million bibliographic records and over 2 million item records (print and electronic) including records from ECU and Elizabeth City State University. Poster on Symphony migration

The Medical History Interest Group Lecture Series begins recording most lectures.

2011
One Search, a discovery tool powered by Summon by Serials Solutions, launched on the Library’s home page. It covered books, DVDs, many journal articles, and other things provided by the ECU Libraries. Poster introducing One Search

Laupus Library began “Art as Avocation”, a series of visual art exhibitions showing and celebrating the artistic talents of current and retired ECU Health Sciences faculty, staff and students. Poster for the first exhibition

Remodeling of the third floor begins in April.

2013
Dr. Dorothy A. Spencer, Director, retired after 15 years of service. Invitation to retirement reception

Former Chancellor Dr. Richard Eakin named Interim Director.

2014
Dr. Eakin appointed to another assignment at ECU. Dr. Gregory Hassler is named Interim Director.

The ECU Libraries develop their first joint strategic plan. Photo of planning session

2015
Dr. Hassler appointed to another assignment at ECU. Elizabeth Ketterman, a member of the Laupus faculty, is named Interim Director.

2017
Elizabeth Ketterman named new Director.

2018
The Country Doctor Museum celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 8, 2018. Invitation to ceremony

2019
Laupus Health Sciences Library celebrates 50th anniversary.

Laupus Library opens a Virtual Reality Lab.

Marlena Rose tries a VR headset in the VR lab in Laupus. (ECU Photo by Cliff Hollis)