Complaining that Lamont was already too crowded, and that opening Lamont to women would undermine "male emotional stability," the Chairman of the Harvard Undergraduate Council, Daniel C. Goldfarb '66, sent a letter to the director of the University library system, voicing the council's disapproval.

Although the council complained that Harvard men would be unable to study in Lamont if it were open to women, it dismissed the idea of closing Radcliffe Library to men. "Boys cause less disturbance in a female atmosphere than vice-versa," Goldfarb said.

Most Harvard students agreed with the Council. In a January 14, 1966 poll, fully 62 percent of the Harvard student body completely opposed letting women into Lamont at any time. Only 19 percent of the students polled completely agreed with letting women into Lamont, and 19 percent said they wouldn't mind if girls were there from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

In the wake of the overwhelming student opposition, the Library Committee decided to drop the proposal.

But when construction on Hilles Library fell behind schedule in September 1966, the Library Committee decided to take drastic steps: they let Radcliffe students use Lamont.

Calling it purely an "emergency measure," the committee decided to allow women in Lamont between September 24 and October 8.

The experiment proceeded without a hitch, according to The Crimson, proving that "people can study for Harvard degrees in a heterosexual library." However, the Library Committee duly kicked the women out again when the two weeks were over, and they said nothing about letting women in again.

So four Radcliffe seniors decided to take matters into their own hands. They organized a petition to open Lamont Library, which gained the unanimous approval of the Radcliffe Government Association.

Radcliffe President Mary I. Bunting publicly endorsed the proposal, saying, "It makes sense to me, and it has all along." The Library Committee capitulated and agreed to study whether Lamont could support the additional 1200 Radcliffe students.

When the committee agreed that the project was feasible, Lamont became officially coed.

The victory was complete at 9:20 a.m. on February 6, 1967, when an unidentified Radcliffe student in a pink sweater stepped across the threshhold, and reference librarians presented her with a xeroxed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The change "proved to be a very ordinary and straight-forward thing," according to Heather E. Cole, the current librarian of Lamont.

"I don't think there was reason for concern. Men and women get along fine in Lamont," Cole says.