The History of Dodd Hall

Dodd Hall was built in 1923 and served as the library for the Florida State College for Women, and then for FSU until Strozier Library was built in 1956. It was named for William George Dodd, who joined the FSCW faculty in 1910. After the library moved into Strozier, WFSU housed its studio there. In 1985, the Claude and Mildred Pepper Library opened in Dodd Hall, and remained there until the library moved to the newly built Pepper Center in 1998.

Renovations began to improve the former library space in 1991. Named for Professor William H. & Dr. Lucyle T. Werkmeister, the Werkmeister Humanities Reading Room opened as a quiet space for students to study. In 1997, the Werkmeister Window, the crown jewel of an already-gorgeous space, was installed. The stained glass window was designed by Professor Emeritus Ivan Johnson and crafted by Bob and Jo Ann Bischoff. The window took over 10 years to build and contains over 10,000 individual pieces. The FSU Master Craftsman Studio continues to create and install leaded glass Commemorative Windows in the Werkmeister Reading Room.