Founded in 1933, the Stanford GSB library is an intellectual commons that supports the mission of the school by enabling the exchange and creation of ideas and information. Our collection, digital and physical, covers a broad range of management topics and includes material on finance, accounting, economics, political economy, marketing, organizational behavior, and international business. We have an extensive collection of company and industry information and statistics.
The Early Years
1925
The Stanford Business School opens, founded on the inspiration of Stanford alumnus (and future U.S. president) Herbert Hoover. Although there is no formal library yet, the staff begins to collect books and subscribe to over 80 journals.
1933
The library is formally inaugurated on April 3. Stanford President Ray Lyman Wilbur allocates room 429-B in Jordan Hall as an autonomous library under the direction of the Graduate School of Business. Janet Webber becomes first Director of the Library. Elizabeth Breid ‘31 becomes second Director of the Library. The collection is established with 1,000 volumes and assorted reports.
1936
Edwin Coman becomes third Director of the Library.
1937
The library moves into the newly reconstructed Assembly Hall in Building 120 in the Stanford Quad. Students appreciate the increased space, the additional book stacks — and the air conditioning.
1941
The library contains almost 8,000 volumes and 85,000 pamphlets. School enrollment drops so low during the war years that the faculty is reduced to a skeletal staff. The library remains busy by meeting the research needs of 2,500 soldiers enrolled at Stanford for Army Specialized Training.
1951
Laverne Cutler becomes fourth Director of the Library.
1956
Stanford GSB names the library “J. Hugh Jackson Library” in honor of the retiring dean.
1957
Marion Smith becomes fifth Director of the Library
A New Home
1966
The Jackson Library moves into the newly constructed Stanford Graduate School of Business building between the Oval and Memorial Auditorium. The facility, GSB-South, still houses the library, many offices, classrooms, and Bishop Auditorium. Library Director Marion Smith is instrumental in securing space for the library in the new building.
1969
The political turbulence of the times affects the library as business school students strike against President Nixon’s policies in Southeast Asia. Windows are broken by rocks hurled in protest, and political signs such as “Dump Dick” and “GSB says Out of Cambodia” are posted.
1970
Computer automation has its first impact on Jackson Library when the serial catalog records are automated. Bound into the “Red Book” for periodical searching, the computer-generated records greatly increase access to the collection; they continue to be produced until 1995.
1977
Marion Smith steps down as the library’s fourth and longest-serving director to date.
1978
Judy Fair becomes sixth Director of the Library
1979
The roof above the library is remodeled to create an additional floor for high-density compact storage. This proves an ideal place for the storage of archival corporate reports; the reports collection is one of the world’s largest. Bela Gallo becomes seventh Director of the Library.
Entering the Information Age
1983
The school installs the first computers for student use in the library. These pioneer machines include a DOS IBM, an Apple III, and an Apple Lisa, and are used primarily for Lotus spreadsheets and word processing.
1987
Compact disc technology emerges, and Jackson Library offers a CD-ROM database for patron use, Compact Disclosure. It is locked in an acrylic shroud to maintain security and accountability for use.
1989
The Loma Prieta Earthquake rocks the campus, and seriously damages Jackson Library. Walls crack, bookstacks topple, and a flood of water drenches significant portions of the collection. The library’s main floors close for many months, during which time extensive retrofitting to guard against future quake damage is undertaken.
1990
The library acquires its first full-text article database, Business Periodicals Online. This initially temporary donation is an essential aid to researchers while most of the library collection lies inaccessible due to repairs.
Toward a New Century
1991
The rapid growth of electronic information sources fosters fundamental alterations in the library’s organization and service. As the lines between computing support and libraries grow less distinct, the library joins with Computing Services to create a new department in the school known as Information Resources.
1992
The school dedicates the new Rosenberg Corporate Research Center in the library. A generous gift from Claude and Louise Rosenberg transforms the heart of the library’s current business information sources. The focal point of the Rosenberg Center is a network of computer workstations, each providing access to a broad range of business databases.
1994
Jackson Library goes online. In addition to offering easier access to on-site library information and databases, it provides links to internet sites selected for their value to business researchers.
1999
Robert Mayer becomes Acting Director of the Library.
2000
Shirley Hallblade becomes eighth Director of the Library. Jackson Library joins in the 75th anniversary celebrations at the school with a special historical display of the library’s past.
Over the years, the library’s collection has increased and diversified to meet the changing research and teaching needs of the school. With over 400,000 volumes, 1,600 periodical subscriptions, and numerous electronic databases, the Jackson Library collection is widely recognized as one of the premier academic business resources in the world, and the library is poised on the edge ready to meet the challenges of providing information in the electronic age.
2002
Kathleen Long becomes ninth Director of the Library.
2004
The library undertakes a complete redesign of its website, engaging Stanford GSB faculty, students, and staff in the process to best support the changing information seeking behavior of the community. The improved site is intuitive and easy to navigate.
The library releases its own browser toolbar in October 2004. Named by a student winner of the toolbar naming contest, FastJack is a time-saving tool. It offers just-in-time access to personalized library resources on the web.
Jackson Library gains its first logo. The logo represents how we leverage existing and emerging technologies to provide access to quality information.
2005
Jackson Library is remodeled to make better use of space and invite collaboration.
2006
The library receives the 2006 Center of Excellence Award for Service from the Special Libraries Association.
The library unveils Jackson Blog in September 2006. Connecting with the blogger community at the business school, Jackson Library bloggers regularly share informal conversations on faculty research, alumni businesses, business news, and new resources in the library.
2007
The library site gets a new look and feel with increased functionality as the entire Stanford GSB site undergoes a redesign.
2008
Jackson Library’s 75th anniversary. Jackson Library commemorates the past and toasts the future with a gala celebration.
2011
Renamed Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) Library, the library moves to the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center at the Knight Management Center.
2014
Kent Abbott becomes Interim Director of the Library.
2016
Julie Williamsen becomes tenth Director of the Library.
2019
The library becomes part of Stanford GSB Research Hub. Michael Dula becomes first Deputy Director of the Library.
2020
In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Library rapidly converts to fully virtual operations on March 16. On August 28, print items are made available for outdoor pickup. In September, the i-Desk reopens for the GSB community who are onsite.
2021
In September, the Library building reopens to the GSB community. All library spaces and onsite resources are available.
2022
The Data Acquisition and Governance unit forms to meet increasing faculty demand for licensed data for research projects.
2023
The Library, in coordination with all Stanford libraries, replaces the libraries’ shared back-end management system.