Sterling Library and the Collegiat Gothic Style

 The Collegiate Gothic Revival style is an early 20th century adaptation of the 19th century Gothic Revival style to serve a specific function, educational buildings. The Gothic Revival style, which flourished from the period of 1830 through 1890 in the United States, was often chosen for churches and institutional buildings due to its impressive, medievally-inspired form. In the early 20th century the Gothic Revival style reappeared for an appropriate choice for both university and secondary school buildings. Prominent universities such as Boston College, Yale, Duke, and Princeton employed the Collegiate Gothic Revival style in this period to create an atmosphere of respected antiquity.

In the Sterling Library, the Collegiate Gothic Style can be found. Everything contributes to the asthetic of antiquity of old colleges. Although, the Sterling library looks incredibly old, it was built only 90 years ago.