McKissick Library, now McKissick Museum. McKissick was built in 1940 as the University’s new main library, and was originally called the University Library. It is situated at the head of the Horseshoe, on the site of the original President’s House, and is the only twentieth century building on the Horseshoe. The shelving units are actually part of the building’s structural support. The name was changed to McKissick Library after the sudden death of USC President J. Rion McKissick in 1944. After an undergraduate library was built in 1959, McKissick became the graduate library. In 1976, the undergraduate library underwent a major expansion to become the main campus library (Thomas Cooper Library) and McKissick Museum was established by the University Board of Trustees to bring together under one roof the many object collections housed in various departments and colleges throughout campus. Today the museum has outstanding collections and is nationally recognized for its Southern folk art programming.
