Campus landmark: UNLV Celebrates 25 Years of Lied Library

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — UNLV is marking the 25th anniversary of Lied Library, highlighting how the campus’ main library evolved alongside the university’s growth into a major research institution.

In a social media post, the university shared archived photos showing the five-story library under construction and detailing how the project came together.

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Before Lied Library, UNLV’s primary library was the Dickinson Library, a round, three-story building that served the needs of the then-young campus for years. As UNLV grew, an accreditation review flagged concerns and showed the campus needed a bigger, more modern library.

University leaders made a new library a top campus priority, and after years of planning, the Lied Library project broke ground March 26, 1998.

Lied Library officially opened to the public in 2001, with then-UNLV President Carol C. Harter and Library Dean Kenneth Marks taking part in the opening. The former Dickinson Library would later close in 2000 as collections were moved into Lied. The building would later be repurposed as the home of UNLV’s William S. Boyd School of Law.

Today, Lied Library remains one of the university’s most recognizable campus landmarks and a key study and research hub for students.