Access: Open to the public when the library is open.
Directions: Walk in the front entrance of the library, past the circulation desk, and take the stairs off to the right down to the basement. Follow the signs
to the Hubbard stacks. Alternatively, you can view the stacks from outside by walking out of the library and bearing
to your left toward Hubbard Hall. The stacks form the southern branch of the Hubbard "T."
GIS: 43° 54‘ 26.33“ N --- 69°
57‘ 47.82“ W
A library is supposed to be quiet, but if you have ever been in the Hubbard stacks at night, you know that it can also be rather unnerving. A cough or a dropped book seems to break a silence that is best left undisturbed and the looming shelves and dust-darkened windows seem to frown down on you with displeasure.
Bowdoin Security has the job of securing the stacks every night, making sure that no one has stayed behind before they lock up the building for the night. One night an officer took the elevator to the 6th floor, walked through, then took the elevator to the 5th floor. After scanning that floor she was headed back to the elevator when she saw it being called up to the 6th floor. This meant someone on the 6th floor had pushed the button to call it up there. She figured she must have missed a student somehow and they were just now leaving. She heard the elevator doors open and close on the 6th floor, so she pushed the call button again so it would stop on the 5th floor and she could escort the student out of the locked building. When the doors opened on the 5th floor, no one was there!
Two more officers were called in to check the entire building. They started at the top and worked their way down to the 4th floor without finding anyone. Then they looked and saw the elevator being called back up to the 6th floor again! One officer ran up the stairs, one ran down the stairs to cover the exit, and the original officer pushed the call button on the 4th floor and waited. Again the doors opened and no one was there!
A workorder was placed to check the elevator. The electricians came back and said it was in perfect working order.