Doe Memorial Library
historic place
The Doe Memorial Library in Berkeley, California, is the main library for the University of California, Berkeley. Its construction was made possible by a bequest from Charles Franklin Doe in 1904. Architect Émile Bénard won the design competition in 1900. The Neoclassical-style building, overseen by campus architect John Galen Howard, was completed in 1911. Over the main entrance, the placement of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, reflects Berkeley's aspiration to become the 'Athens of the West.' The library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is located near Memorial Glade and adjacent to the Bancroft Library. Doe Memorial Library connects to the underground Gardner Stacks, which opened in 1995 and contain 52 miles of bookshelves. The library also houses the Mark Twain Papers. This historic building continues to be a central part of the university campus.