 Oregon State University was established in 1868 . The Oregon Legislative Assembly appropriated $ 1 @,@ 000 to the school to buy books for a library in 1876 , marking the first instance of the legislature giving funds to the school for a library . In 1887 , the library was established at the school , and in 1890 , May Warren was hired as the first full @-@ time librarian . By 1893 the library 's collection had grown to 1 @,@ 950 volumes . After adding 2 @,@ 600 volumes from 1899 to 1900 , the collection stood at 5 @,@ 000 volumes . At that time the library was a free , general library with both circulating and reference collections with A. J. Stimpson serving as the librarian . The library also had 6 @,@ 000 pamphlets at that time and the annual circulation was 8 @,@ 000 . 
