Proctor Library [William L. Proctor Library]
Dublin Core
Title
Proctor Library [William L. Proctor Library]
Date Created
1994-1996
Date Modified
2015
2016
2022
Type
The purpose of this building is to serve as the library for Flagler College. The building also houses the following departments: Institutional Technology, Disability Resource Center, CACE, the Learning Resource Center, and Marketing & Communications.
Description
The Proctor Library (proper name is the William L. Proctor Library) as it stands was not the first library of Flagler College. The library was housed in the Solarium, the Flagler Room, and the Kenan building before the building we know today stands. However, as enrollment and employment expanded, it became necessary to have a dedicated standalone space for students and staff.
Groundbreaking for the new library started in 1994 and cost roughly $13 million to complete. With an impressive 58,900 square feet, this library is dedicated to the then president, Dr. William L. Proctor, the man who was brought in by Lawrence Lewis (heir of Henry Flagler and founder of Flagler College) to save the college from the mismanagement of the first co-presidents. Without Dr. Proctor, there would be no Flagler College. Then Vice-President, William T. Abare (future third college president) oversaw the construction from start to finish as a tribute to his boss and friend.
There were plans for four to five floors, but the City of St. Augustine did not want the building to be taller than other downtown buildings, limiting the height to three floors. The design of the building is meant to specifically emulate the original Hotel Ponce de Leon, leading to confusion among visitors to St. Augustine who think the Library is one of the Henry Flagler-built buildings. The style is Gilded Age's Spanish with slight Moorish influenced architecture. The architects for the library were the Boney Architects based out of Wilmington, North Carolina. The contractors for the space were Baston-Cook Contractors, a company based out of Jacksonville, FL.
In 2015, the first major renovation of the library took place. Due to the changing technological needs of student studying habits, the library needed to be updated. In addition to new electrical outlets, new office spaces were built, the computer lab was made less claustrophobic, and the circulation department received more room. In 2016, the second floor received a facelift to make it look more like the first floor. Realizing the historic nature of this work, most of the Proctor Library staff at that time, took part in documenting the changes over those two summers on the proctorlibrary blog. In 2022, the first floor was again renovated to allow the Learning Resource Center to move in, but as that department made only minor changes, they were not documented.
With the exception of the Flagler College Archives, the third floor is technically not part of the library. It was continuously renovated and new rooms built until that floor became full of classrooms or offices since the building opened in 1996 until c.2010.
On November 19, 2021, the Proctor Library celebrated its 25th Anniversary. At that time we realized we needed to document our own history and after several semesters and much love and care by student workers and interns, the Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library digital exhibit was created.
Groundbreaking for the new library started in 1994 and cost roughly $13 million to complete. With an impressive 58,900 square feet, this library is dedicated to the then president, Dr. William L. Proctor, the man who was brought in by Lawrence Lewis (heir of Henry Flagler and founder of Flagler College) to save the college from the mismanagement of the first co-presidents. Without Dr. Proctor, there would be no Flagler College. Then Vice-President, William T. Abare (future third college president) oversaw the construction from start to finish as a tribute to his boss and friend.
There were plans for four to five floors, but the City of St. Augustine did not want the building to be taller than other downtown buildings, limiting the height to three floors. The design of the building is meant to specifically emulate the original Hotel Ponce de Leon, leading to confusion among visitors to St. Augustine who think the Library is one of the Henry Flagler-built buildings. The style is Gilded Age's Spanish with slight Moorish influenced architecture. The architects for the library were the Boney Architects based out of Wilmington, North Carolina. The contractors for the space were Baston-Cook Contractors, a company based out of Jacksonville, FL.
In 2015, the first major renovation of the library took place. Due to the changing technological needs of student studying habits, the library needed to be updated. In addition to new electrical outlets, new office spaces were built, the computer lab was made less claustrophobic, and the circulation department received more room. In 2016, the second floor received a facelift to make it look more like the first floor. Realizing the historic nature of this work, most of the Proctor Library staff at that time, took part in documenting the changes over those two summers on the proctorlibrary blog. In 2022, the first floor was again renovated to allow the Learning Resource Center to move in, but as that department made only minor changes, they were not documented.
With the exception of the Flagler College Archives, the third floor is technically not part of the library. It was continuously renovated and new rooms built until that floor became full of classrooms or offices since the building opened in 1996 until c.2010.
On November 19, 2021, the Proctor Library celebrated its 25th Anniversary. At that time we realized we needed to document our own history and after several semesters and much love and care by student workers and interns, the Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library digital exhibit was created.
Has Part
This is an academic building for Flagler College serving primarily as the library.
Mediator
The Proctor Library is not open to the general public.
Rights Holder
Source
The following books, articles, websites, and photographers were used to find the above photographs or illustrations:
Photograph 1 (c.1994): Courtesy of the Flagler College Archives. https://library.flagler.edu/college-archives/.
(In order from left to right): Vice President William T. Abare, Jr., President William L. Proctor, Hon. Frank D. Upchurch, and Dr. Robert Carberry.
Photograph 2 (c.1996): Courtesy of the Flagler College Archives. https://library.flagler.edu/college-archives/.
Photograph 3 (2013): Owens, Katherine. "Proctor Library." August 21, 2013.
Photograph 4 (2023): Augusty, Jean-Marc. "The Library." March 5, 2023.
The following books, articles, and/or websites were used to find information about this location:
“Proctor Library Quick Facts Sheet.” St. Augustine, FL: The Proctor Library. c.1996. Located on Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library. https://discoverflaglercollegelibrary.omeka.net/items/show/94.
Taylor, George Lansing Jr., "Flagler College Proctor Library, St. Augustine, FL." UNF: University of North Florida; Digital Commons: George Lansing Taylor Collection Main Gallery. June 16, 2009. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/historical_architecture_main/944.
Thompson, Brian L. “Flagler Library Almost Ready.” St. Augustine, FL: The Gargoyle, 1996. Located on Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library. https://discoverflaglercollegelibrary.omeka.net/items/show/73.
Photograph 1 (c.1994): Courtesy of the Flagler College Archives. https://library.flagler.edu/college-archives/.
(In order from left to right): Vice President William T. Abare, Jr., President William L. Proctor, Hon. Frank D. Upchurch, and Dr. Robert Carberry.
Photograph 2 (c.1996): Courtesy of the Flagler College Archives. https://library.flagler.edu/college-archives/.
Photograph 3 (2013): Owens, Katherine. "Proctor Library." August 21, 2013.
Photograph 4 (2023): Augusty, Jean-Marc. "The Library." March 5, 2023.
The following books, articles, and/or websites were used to find information about this location:
“Proctor Library Quick Facts Sheet.” St. Augustine, FL: The Proctor Library. c.1996. Located on Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library. https://discoverflaglercollegelibrary.omeka.net/items/show/94.
Taylor, George Lansing Jr., "Flagler College Proctor Library, St. Augustine, FL." UNF: University of North Florida; Digital Commons: George Lansing Taylor Collection Main Gallery. June 16, 2009. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/historical_architecture_main/944.
Thompson, Brian L. “Flagler Library Almost Ready.” St. Augustine, FL: The Gargoyle, 1996. Located on Check it Out! Discover the Four Spaces of the Flagler College Library. https://discoverflaglercollegelibrary.omeka.net/items/show/73.
Rights
Flagler College’s Rare Books, Floridiana & Institutional Repository are neither the original nor current copyright owner for the photographs. Please contact the publisher or source cited for each photograph to obtain a copy and/or permission to reproduce these items.
Is Referenced By
The following St. Augustine Fiction books feature this building as a location:
The Reaper of St. George Street
Salt Run
The Reaper of St. George Street
Salt Run
Date Submitted
This record was last updated on October 9, 2024.
Collection
Citation
Baston-Cook Contractors, Boney Architects, “Proctor Library [William L. Proctor Library],” St. Augustine Fiction, accessed June 22, 2025, https://staugustinefiction.omeka.net/items/show/375.