The board next to the elevators reads "Arizona Collections" and "Archives". Level four of Hayden Library on the Tempe Campus is
seldom seen and rarely heard of. With the exception of the archives and other historical research documents there aren't any books that the general student body needs.
What is up there is a historian's dream.
Access to hundreds of government documents and archive materials all in one place: The Luhrs Reading Room. This room, filled with research materials, is named after one of the most influential families of the Phoenix area. They were responsible for building the first skyscraper and paved the way for Phoenix to really become an industrial city.
However, this floor doesn't just have archive material sitting on shelves. It is also home to the Luhrs Gallery. This gallery is a mini-museum, exhibit cases with documents, artifacts, and plaques informing visitors of Arizona and its history.
The current exhibition is about the rise of Arizona State's immense interest in and research of new sustainable means of energy, mainly solar power.
Go check it out sometime. It's worth it to say you stepped in to the Twilight Zo... I mean, the mysterious Fourth Floor of Hayden Library.
On This Day: 1624 - The First Submarine was tested in London. 1958 - The US Supreme Court orders Little Rock High School to integrate. 2012 - Apple unveils the Iphone 5 and iOS 6
Have you seen the other exhibitions on the 4th floor? Want to talk about the exhibitions on the Concourse level? Have a burning historical question? Drop us a line at sparkysquill@gmail.com or find us on twitter @sparkysquill!
