After over five decades, the Hyde Library—heart of studiers and socializers alike—has officially checked out for the final time.
Students, faculty, alumni and friends gathered this summer to honor the legacy of the beloved library before its demolition. Headmaster Pete Sanders opened the ceremony with remarks reflecting on the buildings impact and the vision that made it possible.
“We deeply appreciate the library and the Hyde family who made it possible,” Sanders said. “And at the same time, we look forward to the future of learning and technology at Memphis University School.”
Construction on the Hyde Library began in 1970 and was completed the following year. It was funded by a $250,000 challenge gift from Joseph R. Hyde Jr., the benefactor of the Hyde Chapel and the Sue H. Hyde Sports and Physical Education Center.
At its dedication, Mr. Sanders described the library as “a place where students may continue their search for knowledge, a place to store knowledge for future generations.” Over time, the building became a resource center, a gathering space for club meetings, a host for city library groups, and even the studio for student-run CCTV broadcasts.
“The resources were impressive,” Sanders said, referring to the soundproof study rooms, early audiovisual equipment, and the school’s first smart classroom. “Although the library had a modest beginning, it was and continues to be superior in comparison to our peers.”
The Hyde Library also saw its fair share of mischief—from BB gun incidents and spitball wars to the infamous book-dropping episode in the 1970s. Yet, despite the classic teenage boy antics, the building stood high as a pillar of MUS academic experience.
The farewell event also marked the kickoff of Bold Vision Bright Future, the school’s $200 million capital and endowment campaign. Demolition of the library is part of Phase 1, which includes construction of a new arts and sciences building featuring an 820-seat Hyde Chapel, a new Park Avenue entrance and an admission office. Later phases will bring a new library and technology center, Lower School, and athletic upgrades.
Ms. Trenthem, director of the Hyde Library, closed the ceremony with brief remarks and introduced a “final checkout,” inviting the crowd to take home yearbooks, textbooks, and other memorabilia.
“Even though we’re losing space, we’re gaining this opportunity to really focus on what students need in student services,” Trenthem said in an interview that evening. “I truly think that’s the heart of the library; we can do library work in a big building, in a small building, and then as we move along, we get to decide what our final destination’s going to look like based on all these interactions with students every day.”