About W. Frank Steely
W. Frank Steely
W. Frank Steely Library is named for the first president of Northern Kentucky University, who served in this capacity from December 1969 until September 1975. A native Kentuckian, Dr. Steely received degrees from the University of South Carolina and the University of Kentucky before earning his PH.D. in American History at the University of Rochester in 1956.
Early in his presidency at NKU, Dr. Steely knew that a new university must have a strong library in order to thrive. He believed that a new building should be constructed to house library collections and services. Dr. Steely and the Board of Regents obtained approval from the state to fund the construction of the library building, with groundbreaking in 1973. The library was dedicated in 1975 and given its name in recognition of Dr. Steely's efforts to realize the dream of a library for Kentucky's newest university. There was a major renovation of the original building in 1994-95 and the building's interior continues to change and evolve to meet the research needs of a growing university.
After a long and productive tenure as a professor in the History/Geography department, Dr. Steely retired in May 2001. As an emeritus History Professor, he continues his scholarly work in his office, which is located on the 5th floor of the W. Frank Steely Library.
updated: Thursday, 25-Aug-2005 13:40:25 EDT