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The new Church History Library is scheduled for completion in 2007 and will contain five floors and 25 miles of shelving. The building is designed to complement the Conference Center.

Major Church construction now under way

Amber Warnerr WAL04015@BYUI.EDU campus asst. editor

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints broke ground in Salt Lake City, Friday, for a new Church History Library.

The library, which will be constructed on the northeast corner intersection of North Temple and Main Streets, will consist of five floors and have reading rooms and a special collections area opened to the public.

President Gordon B. Hinckley was the first to break ground using a small fireplace shovel made by President Brigham Young. He also offered some remarks and a dedicatory prayer on the building site.

It will also contain almost 25 miles of shelving containing books, pamphlets, journals, manuscripts, photographs, microfilm, microfiche, audiovisual items and other published and unpublished works.

The event was not open to the public, but more than 400 invited guests attended, including general authorities, local government officials.

“The new Church History Library will be a welcome resource for those who wish to learn more about Latter-day Saint history,” said Elder Marlin K. Jensen, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy who also serves as Church historian and recorder.

Currently archival space is insufficient to fulfill the needs of the rapidly growing Church. The new library will include updated technology, providing much more space to store Church records such as manuscripts, publications, printed materials and audiovisual items.

“Scholars, Church members and other researchers will enjoy expanded, more comfortable research facilities and enhanced access to our collections,” Elder Jensen said.

Jacobsen/Swinerton will serve as general contractor for the building and construction will begin later this year. Completion on the library is predicted for late 2007.

Along with the new library, President Hinckley announced in general conference the construction of two new temples in the Utah valley.

Even with 122 operating temples, increased attendance has caused a need for more temples, especially in Utah, President Hinckley said.

“Last year, 32 million ordinances were performed in the temples,” President Hinckley said. “This is more than have been performed in any previous year. The needs and desires of our faithful Saints must be met.”

The first temple is to be built in the Daybreak development in South Jordan. The exact location of the other temple has not yet been announced.

Other temples that are currently under construction include Rexburg and Twin Falls, Idaho; Sacramento, Calif.; Helsinki, Finland; Panama City, Panama; and Curitiba, Brazil.