12018-08-31T13:56:59-07:00Ginny Barnes3eee7f03172e35d4a55ee3f747d663b72f156868304374Billings was one of the speakers at the dedication of the PCL building in 1977. This is the cover of the program for the event with an outline of the building's floorplan, shaped like Texas.plain2018-10-16T15:42:06-07:00Rachael Zipperer733bca2661a68a774f69c1b20ebce2dbab84cbc1
1media/Billings_PCL model.jpg2018-09-26T22:40:58-07:00PCL opens as the main UT Library branch10The PCL building was completed shortly before Billings became director. Under his leadership books were moved from the UT Tower to PCL.plain2018-10-15T22:13:37-07:0001/01/1977-12/31/1977Originally conceived to function as a social science and humanities research library, what is now the bustling main branch of the UT Libraries was completed in 1977. Millions of volumes were moved from the tower and other smaller branches to the new location.
The library is named for Dr. Ervin S. Perry and Dr. Carlos E. Castaneda. When he was appointed to assistant professor in 1964, Dr. Perry was the first black person to hold a position of that level at UT. Dr. Castaneda was born in Mexico and later became a naturalized American citizen, received three degrees from UT, and was influential in establishing UT's Latin American Collection.
As acting director, Billings spoke at the dedication of the new library building on "The Library: Past, Present, and Future."