Library to be named for IU legend Herman B Wells

While plans have been drawn up and the Information Commons and Information Commons 2 have officially opened, two of the biggest steps toward renovating the Main Library were taken Friday.\nAt the IU board of trustees April meeting at IU-South Bend this weekend, the board approved naming the library after former IU President and Chancellor Herman B Wells and were presented renovation plans. Naming the library after Wells was easily approved.\n"There is no building, no central location to the University environment than the library or central person to the University than Herman Wells," said IU Trustee Patrick Shoulders. "There is wonderful symmetry to unveiling the plans to renovate and appropriately naming the library for the most important person in Indiana University history."\nPlans to name the library for Wells has been reserved since shortly after his death in 2000, since Wells had refused any building to be named for him during his lifetime or until five years after his death. The naming was recommended at the trustees meeting Thursday and approved Friday.\nWells was IU president from 1938 to 1962 and was chancellor from 1962 until his death in 2000. He made considerable changes at the helm during IU's post-World War II expansion and is credited with revamping IU into an internationally recognized center of research and scholarship. Wells was active as chancellor until his death March 18, 2000, at the age of 97.\n"We are indebted to Herman Wells for his vision and tireless efforts that transformed Indiana University into a world-class research university," said IU President Adam Herbert in a statement. "In recognition of President Wells' distinguished institutional leadership, it is particularly fitting that the University's central repository of knowledge -- our Main Library -- be named after him."\nDean of University Suzanne Thorin said it is only appropriate that the Main Library be named after Wells because of his continuing support for IU's libraries.\n"I think it was a fitting honor because the size of the building and it's location on this campus, but also because of the support Dr. Wells gave to the library, somehow he thought of them within the life of the University," Thorin said. "I can't imagine another building that would so link the work of the University to his name."\n-- Contact Senior Writer Katie Schoenbaechler at kmschoen@indiana.edu