Oregon Civic Justice Center
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Civic Justice Center is a three-story former library
building on the campus of Willamette University
in downtown Salem, Oregon
, United States
. Built in 1912 as a Carnegie library
for the city of Salem, the building now houses several programs of Willamette University College of Law
. Prior to the law school's moving into the facility in 2008, the building was used by the adjacent Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) from 1971 to 2006.
Willamette purchased the old library in 2003 and later selected the College of Law as the program at the school to gain use of the building. The university began renovations in 2007 to restore part of the original layout and modernize the facility to accommodate the needs of modern education. After the brick-faced, Beaux Arts style structure was remodeled, community oriented programs from the law school relocated to the renamed Oregon Civic Justice Center. This center houses programs such as a legal clinic
and the school's law review
journal.
serving as president of the organization. Two years later the group started the Salem Public Library at Geer's home, and then later located at Chemeketa and High streets in downtown Salem in the then city hall, with the library's collection totaling 50 books at that time. The library group hired a librarian, Miss F. Phillips, for a salary of $20 per month to run the library. In 1907, the group explored options to build a stand-alone library building using funds provided by Andrew Carnegie
, who was providing funds for building libraries around the world.
In May 1909, the Woman’s Club purchased an option to buy the property on the southwest corner of Winter and State streets for $5500, which was located across State from Willson Park (a city park at that time). This group then raised the funds to purchase the land for $12,000, and Salem applied for a grant from the Carnegie foundation. The city was allotted $14,000 by the foundation to build a library, but the Women’s Club which owned the existing library and land had not been involved in the process. The organization was able to get the money rescinded, and in November 1910, worked with the city to increase their maintenance fund for the library. Carnegie then raised the grant to $27,500 at the lobbying of Lulu Bush (daughter-in-law to Asahel Bush
) and the Woman’s Club deeded the lot and the other library assets to the city of Salem.
On September 12, 1912, the new library opened on the property near Willamette University
and the Oregon State Capitol
, though construction on the structure was not completed, and much of the furniture had not been installed in the building. The completed structure included hardwood floors, crown molding, windows that were two-stories tall, and a fireplace. The library cost $30,000 to build, and within a year of operating had expanded to serve nearly 7,700 patrons with a collection of nearly 10,500 books. On January 4, 1920, a small fire damaged the furnace room and about 50 books at the library.
In 1914, the YWCA of Salem was organized by the same Salem Women's Club. Located in downtown on Cottage Street Northeast, the YWCA moved in 1954 to the lot adjoining the library. By the 1960s, the small library had a collection in excess of 100,000 volumes, but needed a larger facility. A public campaign to build a new library began in 1968, with the library to be part of a larger government center that included a city hall and fire station. In 1971, the YWCA purchased the adjacent Carnegie library building for $150,000, and on July 6, 1972, the Salem Public Library vacated the Carnegie building and moved to Salem’s new Civic Center located west of the old library. Located next to the YWCA's existing home, the old library was turned into the organization's youth center. The building was remodeled from 1990 to 1991.
that the YWCA had added to the upper portion of the main floor. Other renovations included new heating, cooling, and ventilation
systems, upgrades for technology, all while retaining the historical look and feel of the original 1912 building.
On September 12, 2008, the building was re-dedicated exactly 96 years after the original dedication in a ceremony featuring sitting Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg
. The ceremony was part of the College of Law's 125th anniversary festivities and featured Oregon dignitaries such as Oregon Supreme Court
Chief Justice and Willamette alum Paul De Muniz
. Willamette President M. Lee Pelton
, who also attended the ceremony, selected the law school as the new tenants after other departments and programs at the school submitted proposals for the use of the old library.
over the entryway, which is sheltered by a rigid metal awning on this north front. The roof of the square-shaped structure is constructed of both metal and tile. Stone is used for architectural accents of lintels and cornices on the exterior. The building remains connected to the neighboring former offices of the YWCA, which is a Pietro Belluschi
designed building also owned by Willamette University.
Inside, the main room is a conference room on the main floor that includes a large projection system that can be used for remote feeds, such as from the state capitol across the street. A painting by John Fery
is displayed over the fireplace, which the fireplace was part of the original structure in the conference room. The remainder of the interior of the building has a modern look with glass-enclosed offices surrounding an open common area. Artwork owned by the university's Hallie Ford Museum of Art
is displayed in this area. The main floor of the three-story building is the second floor, which rests atop the look-out basement. A small meeting room is located above a small portion of the main floor.
, the Center for Law and Government, and the school's law journal, the Willamette Law Review
. Each of these programs were chosen to be housed in the center due to having community outreach programs, with the goal of the center being to create a community atmosphere between students, faculty, and the community at large.
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
building on the campus of Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
in downtown Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in 1912 as a Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
for the city of Salem, the building now houses several programs of Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law
Willamette University College of Law is a private law school located in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, Willamette University is the oldest university in the Western United States...
. Prior to the law school's moving into the facility in 2008, the building was used by the adjacent Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) from 1971 to 2006.
Willamette purchased the old library in 2003 and later selected the College of Law as the program at the school to gain use of the building. The university began renovations in 2007 to restore part of the original layout and modernize the facility to accommodate the needs of modern education. After the brick-faced, Beaux Arts style structure was remodeled, community oriented programs from the law school relocated to the renamed Oregon Civic Justice Center. This center houses programs such as a legal clinic
Legal clinic
The phrase legal clinic may refer to any private, nonprofit law practice serving the public interest. In the academic context, these law school clinics provide hands-on experience to law school students and services to various clients. Academic Clinics are usually directed by clinical professors...
and the school's law review
Law review
A law review is a scholarly journal focusing on legal issues, normally published by an organization of students at a law school or through a bar association...
journal.
History
On October 12, 1901, the Salem Woman's Club was organized with the wife of Oregon Governor Theodore Thurston GeerTheodore Thurston Geer
Theodore Thurston Geer was the tenth Governor of Oregon, serving from January 9, 1899 to January 14, 1903. The Republican politician was in office when the legislature adopted the "Oregon System", Oregon's system of initiative and referendum...
serving as president of the organization. Two years later the group started the Salem Public Library at Geer's home, and then later located at Chemeketa and High streets in downtown Salem in the then city hall, with the library's collection totaling 50 books at that time. The library group hired a librarian, Miss F. Phillips, for a salary of $20 per month to run the library. In 1907, the group explored options to build a stand-alone library building using funds provided by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
, who was providing funds for building libraries around the world.
In May 1909, the Woman’s Club purchased an option to buy the property on the southwest corner of Winter and State streets for $5500, which was located across State from Willson Park (a city park at that time). This group then raised the funds to purchase the land for $12,000, and Salem applied for a grant from the Carnegie foundation. The city was allotted $14,000 by the foundation to build a library, but the Women’s Club which owned the existing library and land had not been involved in the process. The organization was able to get the money rescinded, and in November 1910, worked with the city to increase their maintenance fund for the library. Carnegie then raised the grant to $27,500 at the lobbying of Lulu Bush (daughter-in-law to Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush
Asahel Bush was an American newspaper publisher and businessman in Salem, Oregon. As publisher the Oregon Statesman newspaper, he moved the paper to Salem when the territorial capital moved to that city...
) and the Woman’s Club deeded the lot and the other library assets to the city of Salem.
On September 12, 1912, the new library opened on the property near Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
and the Oregon State Capitol
Oregon State Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third...
, though construction on the structure was not completed, and much of the furniture had not been installed in the building. The completed structure included hardwood floors, crown molding, windows that were two-stories tall, and a fireplace. The library cost $30,000 to build, and within a year of operating had expanded to serve nearly 7,700 patrons with a collection of nearly 10,500 books. On January 4, 1920, a small fire damaged the furnace room and about 50 books at the library.
In 1914, the YWCA of Salem was organized by the same Salem Women's Club. Located in downtown on Cottage Street Northeast, the YWCA moved in 1954 to the lot adjoining the library. By the 1960s, the small library had a collection in excess of 100,000 volumes, but needed a larger facility. A public campaign to build a new library began in 1968, with the library to be part of a larger government center that included a city hall and fire station. In 1971, the YWCA purchased the adjacent Carnegie library building for $150,000, and on July 6, 1972, the Salem Public Library vacated the Carnegie building and moved to Salem’s new Civic Center located west of the old library. Located next to the YWCA's existing home, the old library was turned into the organization's youth center. The building was remodeled from 1990 to 1991.
Legal center
In 2003, Willamette University purchased the old building from the YWCA. The $1.35 million purchase included the main YWCA building adjacent to the former library for a total of 54000 square feet (5,016.8 m²), with the YWCA continuing their operations in the building for three years after the sale. After that group left the building in 2006, Willamette spent $4.6 million ($2 million more than originally planned) to remodel the old library building over a year's time and convert it into the Oregon Civic Justice Center as part of the College of Law. The remodeling project began in the summer of 2007 and included removing a swimming pool structure that had been added to the south of the building, while also adding a new entrance to the former library on the same side as where the pool was located. Renovations also removed a mezzanineMezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
that the YWCA had added to the upper portion of the main floor. Other renovations included new heating, cooling, and ventilation
HVAC
HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
systems, upgrades for technology, all while retaining the historical look and feel of the original 1912 building.
On September 12, 2008, the building was re-dedicated exactly 96 years after the original dedication in a ceremony featuring sitting Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice and the first Jewish female justice.She is generally viewed as belonging to...
. The ceremony was part of the College of Law's 125th anniversary festivities and featured Oregon dignitaries such as Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
Chief Justice and Willamette alum Paul De Muniz
Paul De Muniz
Paul J. De Muniz is an American judge in the state of Oregon. He is the first Hispanic Chief Justice in the history of the Oregon Supreme Court. He was elected to the court in 2000, and elected as Chief Justice in 2006. He won re-election in May 2006 for another six-year term on the state's...
. Willamette President M. Lee Pelton
M. Lee Pelton
Dr. Marvin Lee Pelton is an academic administrator and college president. A native of Kansas, he held leadership roles at Colgate University and Dartmouth College before becoming the first African-American president of an independent college when he became Willamette University's president in 1998...
, who also attended the ceremony, selected the law school as the new tenants after other departments and programs at the school submitted proposals for the use of the old library.
Amenities
The Beaux Arts style brick structure includes a portico on the State Street entrance on the north side. The façade includes an inscription, "PUBLIC LIBRARY", in Roman typeRoman type
In typography, roman is one of the three main kinds of historical type, alongside blackletter and italic. Roman type was modelled from a European scribal manuscript style of the 1400s, based on the pairing of inscriptional capitals used in ancient Rome with Carolingian minuscules developed in the...
over the entryway, which is sheltered by a rigid metal awning on this north front. The roof of the square-shaped structure is constructed of both metal and tile. Stone is used for architectural accents of lintels and cornices on the exterior. The building remains connected to the neighboring former offices of the YWCA, which is a Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi was an American architect, a leader of the Modern Movement in architecture, and was responsible for the design of over one thousand buildings....
designed building also owned by Willamette University.
Inside, the main room is a conference room on the main floor that includes a large projection system that can be used for remote feeds, such as from the state capitol across the street. A painting by John Fery
John Fery
John Fery was an Austrian-born painter who painted in the American west. He was a painter of outdoor scenes, whose largest customer was the Great Northern Railway. His paintings were hung in train stations and other places, promoting travel, particularly to Glacier National Park.-References:...
is displayed over the fireplace, which the fireplace was part of the original structure in the conference room. The remainder of the interior of the building has a modern look with glass-enclosed offices surrounding an open common area. Artwork owned by the university's Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is the museum of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is the third largest art museum in Oregon. Opened in 1998, the facility is across the street from the Oregon State Capital in downtown Salem, on the western edge of the school campus...
is displayed in this area. The main floor of the three-story building is the second floor, which rests atop the look-out basement. A small meeting room is located above a small portion of the main floor.
Programs
The center is utilized to connect the College of Law and Willamette as a whole to the larger Salem community. In this capacity, the center houses several law school programs with community outreach aspects. These include the Oregon Law Commission, the Center for Democracy, the Center for Religion and Law, the Center for Dispute Resolution, Willamette's Clinical Law ProgramLegal clinic
The phrase legal clinic may refer to any private, nonprofit law practice serving the public interest. In the academic context, these law school clinics provide hands-on experience to law school students and services to various clients. Academic Clinics are usually directed by clinical professors...
, the Center for Law and Government, and the school's law journal, the Willamette Law Review
Willamette Law Review
The Willamette Law Review is a law review academic journal published by Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1959 as a predecessor to an earlier publication, the quarterly publication is housed in the Oregon Civic Justice Center. Cited as Willamette L...
. Each of these programs were chosen to be housed in the center due to having community outreach programs, with the goal of the center being to create a community atmosphere between students, faculty, and the community at large.
External links
- Interior picture as library
- Justice Ginsburg to Participate in Willamette Symposium - Oregon State BarOregon State BarThe Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession. The public corporation is part of the Oregon Judicial Department...
