Main content

Firestone Library Architectural Drawings Collection

Notifications

Held at: Princeton University Library: University Archives [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: University Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

R. B. O'Connor & W. H. Kilham, Jr. (Firm).

R. B. O'Connor & W. H. Kilham, Jr. is the New York City architictural firm that was appointed in 1944 to design Princeton University's Firestone Library, which opened in 1948.

The collection includes architectural drawings, plans and photographs of Firestone Library (1948) and the later addition of the John Foster Dulles Library of Diplomatic History (1962). Most of the materials are attributable to the R. B. O'Connor and W. H. Kilham, Jr. architecture firm. The collection also contains a senior thesis and architectural drawing of Ides van Waterschoot van der Gracht, Princeton Class of 1923.

The materials are generally arranged by exterior drawing and plans, interior drawings and plans, and oversized materials.

The collection was purchased as a group lot at auction. The person or organization that assembled the collection is unknown.

Purchased as group lot at auction from Grogan and Company, Dedham, Massachusetts in April 2013.

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

This collection was processed by Lynn Durgin in 2013 May.

No appraisal information is available.

Publisher
University Archives
Finding Aid Date
Published in May 2013.
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. The Trustees of Princeton University hold copyright to all materials generated by Princeton University employees in the course of their work. For instances beyond Fair Use, if copyright is held by Princeton University, researchers do not need to obtain permission, complete any forms, or receive a letter to move forward with use of materials from the Princeton University Archives.

For instances beyond Fair Use where the copyright is not held by the University, while permission from the Library is not required, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Collection Inventory

Firestone Library Exterior, Painted, Color Rendering of Firestone Library with Walkway, 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Firestone Library Exterior, Pencil Sketch of Firestone Library and Plaza, undated. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Exterior Pencil Sketch of the Dulles Reading Room, 1959. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

Drawn by Schell Lewis for O'Connor and Kilham

Physical Description

1 box

Copy of Exterior Pencil Sketch of the Dulles Reading Room, 1959. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

Drawn by Schell Lewis for O'Connor and Kilham

Physical Description

1 box

Photograph of Exterior of Firestone Library Entrance, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Scale Drawing of Turret on Southwest Corner of Tower, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Scale Drawing of Turrets on Main Tower, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Exterior Sketch of a Chapel, 1931. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Drawn by Schell Lewis for William Bayard Willis Architect

Physical Description

1 folder

Geology Addition to Guyot Hall, Exterior Sketch, 1963. 1 folder.
Scope and Contents

Drawn by Schell Lewis for O'Connor and Kilham architects.

Physical Description

1 folder

Two Sketches of Interiors of a Dining Hall (Scheme BI and BII), circa 1940-1960. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Interior of Library Lobby, Concept Sketch, circa 1940s. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Interior of Library Lobby, Photograph, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library Reading Room, Charcoal Sketch (No. 6), circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library Reading Room, Charcoal Sketch with Color (No. 4), circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library Study Area, Charcoal and Color, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library Concept Sketch, Charcoal and Color, Showing Multiple Floors, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library, Possibly a Reference Collection Area, Charcoal Sketch on Gray Paper, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library, Entrance Area, Pencil Sketch, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior of Library, Typical Seminar Room, B Floor, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Sketch of Large Hall (Dining Hall?), Scheme 3, circa 1946. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Print of Unidentified Building, Street Elevation, 1933. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

Ides van Waterschoot van der Gracht, architect.

Physical Description

1 box

Oversized portfolio Containing Sketches and Plans of Dulles Library Addition to Firestone Library, circa 1940-1960. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Photograph of Exterior of Firestone Library, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Photograph of Exterior of Firestone Library with Cars, People, Mounted on Board, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Photograph of Exterior of Firestone Library From Washington Road, Before Dulles Library, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Interior Photograph of Library, Showing Book Shelves, circa 1948. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Senior Thesis (with Accompanying Illustrations)of Ides van Waterschoot van der Gracht, 1926. 1 box.
Scope and Contents

Princeton University senior thesis titled "A Monastery and School for the training of the Clergy in the Liberal Studies" with a set of five drawings and plans.

Physical Description

1 box

Print, Suggest