Why is there a fence around the library?

Good Question!

The short story: When the Library was built, it was originally going to look like Lederle or the Fine Arts Center.  It was supposed to be just concrete.  They decided to add a brick facade to the outside of the building.  (If you look up at the building you can see the white lines where the sheets of brick meet.)  It turns out there was a problem with how the brick facade was attached.  Where the sheets meet they pushed together and pieces of brick fell off called, "spalling".
Due to this the library was moved back to the previous library in Goodell.  Some books stayed here and they would come and get them when students requested them.  The problem was eventually fixed and everything was moved back to the W.E.B. Du Bois Library.  As a precaution they put up a chain link fence for protection.  It was hideous!  And was up for over 30 years.  (It was here when I was here.)  Click HERE for an article talking about the removal of the fence.  
So they finally put up a nicer fence and that is what we have now.  It may not have to be there but still is just in case.

*There is a handout somewhere in the drawer titled, "When the Chips are Down... Everything you've always wanted to know about the library but they were afraid to tell you..."  This will give more detailed information.

Taken from a 1975 Massachusetts Daily Collegian, "Umass student dies in fall from library"

It is about David Harpin who committed suicide by jumping off of the Library. As a student worker here I remember hearing about it but was given lots of misinformation. I used our Microfilm Collection to try and find out what really happened. Below is what I found... (You only need to read this if you are interested. I have never had a question regarding this and it is probably not something we would want to promote.)

Click HERE for the cover page of the The Massachusetts Daily Collegian from May 15th, 1975.

Click HERE for just the article.

Click HERE for an article from the The Massachusetts Daily Collegian from May 16th, 1975 about the victim.

How old is the W.E.B. Du Bois Library?

The ground for the Library was broken in April of 1969. The building was opened on June 26, 1973 and was officially dedicated on October 19, 1974 (the year I was born, yeah!) It cost $16,809,000.00 to build. It was called the Tower Library until February 1996 when it was dedicated in W.E.B. Du Bois' name.
To read more about the building and the whole "falling bricks" legend check out the copy of "When the Chips are down...Everything you've always wanted to know about the library, but they were afraid to tell you... located in the drawer with the phone books.