On Thursday, January 16, Smathers Libraries’ employees closed books and picked up paint brushes to add a new mural to the famous Gainesville 34th Street wall. The design highlights the centennial theme “Illuminating Excellence. Celebrating Our Libraries Past, Present, and Future.” While the University of Florida was founded in 1853, there was not a dedicated library building on campus; small libraries were scattered across different departments. In 1925, the first section of what is now known as the Smathers Library opened with a collection of 40,000 books. Today in 2025, the Smathers Libraries system is the largest academic resource system in the state with six campus branches, affiliate branches across the state, and more than 5.5 million print volumes.
While the centennial celebrates the 100th birthday of the Smathers Library branch, now host to the Special & Area Studies Collections Department, the entire library system will receive recognition through events and media features. To see the timeline, marketing materials, and event updates, visit uflib.ufl.edu/centennial/.




