BSC Library

The Charles Andrew Rush Learning Center and N. E. Miles Library, collectively and colloquially called the Birmingham-Southern College Library or BSC Library, was the main academic library at Birmingham-Southern College.

The Rush Learning Center / N. E. Miles Library was constructed in 1976, taking the place of the 1923 M. Paul Phillips Library, which was renovated for administrative offices. Davis, Speake & Associates designed the new building, which was built by Daniel Construction Company. The building includes an auditorium and conference rooms for programs, a media center, and separate special collections rooms.

Cataloguer Janice Poplau enlisted students to help her move card catalog files to and from her car rather than entrust their integrity to a moving company.

For 2022 it reported holdings of 270,837 volumes, an annual circulation of 4,215 items, and an operating budget of $968,911.

The BSC Library's Archives held numerous special collections, including the M. Halsey Townes and Bryant A. Whitmire Collections of Alabama-related books, the James Wren Asian Studies Collection, the Harold Katz Judaic Music Collection, the Rabbi Milton L. Grafman Judaic Book Collection, the John Erwin "Don" Sims Collection of rare and unusual books, the Mosely & Celia Shugerman Memorial Record Collection, and the Minnie McGehee Branscomb Collection of works relating to women's studies. Many of these were kept in the library's "Wood Room".

After the Birmingham-Southern Collegeclosed in May 2024, the collection of materials relating to the institution itself, which had been curated by Guy Hubbs, was transferred to the Birmingham Public Library Archives. It includes yearbooks, photographs, thesis papers, student newspapers, course catalogs, meeting minutes, bulletins, handbooks, surveys, annual reports, and materials on faculty members, athletic teams and alumni events.

More than 1,000 items from the library's special collections were sold off on July 31 and August 1 by Grant Zahajko Auctions of Davenport, Washington.

Library directors

• William S. Hoole, –1937
• Charles Matthews, 1937–
• Clyde Cantrell, 1943
• Barbara Scott, 1976
• Billy Pennington, 2001–2002
• Charlotte Ford, 2013–2014
• Tiffany Norris, 2020–2023

References

• "Half-Century On The Hilltop." (July 15, 2021) BSC Blog - accessed June 18, 2024
• Denham, Hannah (July 6, 2024) "Birmingham-Southern’s archives finds new home at the library." AL.com
• Byington, Pat (July 22, 2024) "Rare BSC books maps and atlases to be auctioned off on July 31 & August 1." Bham Now