Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: Carol Folt, Kathleen Leavey McCarthy and Melissa Just ( — USC President Carol Folt, USC Life Trustee Kathleen Leavey McCarthy — whose parents are Leavey Library’s namesakes — and USC Libraries Dean Melissa Just, from left, attend Wednesday’s celebration. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

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Leavey Library marks its 30th anniversary

Faculty, staff and students joined in celebrating the popular study spot, tech hub and home to USC Shoah Foundation.

October 17, 2024 By USC News Staff

USC faculty, staff and students gathered Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Leavey Library. The facility at the heart of the University Park Campus opened for business on Aug. 29, 1994.

“This library quickly became a model for libraries around the world,” USC President Carol Folt told the crowd, noting that during its first two years, educators from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere came to see the high-tech marvel for themselves.

RELATED: Five things you need to know about Leavey Library.

“Trojan undergrads call Leavey a refuge and a second home,” Folt said, adding, “One undergrad said: ‘I have never loved and hated a place so much.’ ”

The event also recognized the library’s current and former staff members, and the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, which gave the naming gift to the library.

See our gallery of photos from Wednesday’s event.

Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: Dean Melissa Just

Dean Melissa Just of USC Libraries greets the crowd. “Leavey Library quickly established itself as a showcase of emerging technologies and a preview of how our students and faculty would soon learn to navigate the worldwide web for information — and how our librarians would help them,” she said. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: Kathleen Leavey McCarthy

The library — formally the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Library — is named in honor of the parents of USC Life Trustee Kathleen Leavey McCarthy. “It was something that we knew we needed on this campus — a brand new library, a world-class library, and we were going to make it a reality,” she said. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: Student Jada Cobbett

Jada Cobbett shared her experiences as a Leavey Library student worker and a fourth-year student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Late nights spent at the desks in the Weingart Reading Room and on the second floor have become a cherished part of my college experience — fueled by energy drinks and determination to succeed in my studies,” she said. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: USC Trustees Michele Engemann and Amy Ross

USC Trustees Michele Engemann, left, and Amy Ross are recognized. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

Leavey Library 30th anniversary celebration: USC Trojan Marching Band

The USC Trojan Marching Band plays in front of Leavey Library. (USC Photo/Steve Cohn)

Leavey Library marks its 30th anniversary

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