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That's what they say! Now, we don't really have an authoritative source for this (if you do, please share), but that is the legend. Take a close look at the leather on the doors-- it doesn't exactly look like other leather you may have seen. Also, the old portion of the library was constructed at a time (1928) when it would have been more likely that whale skins would have been available. However you take it, as icky or cool, it is part of the story that makes our library unique.
Entering the Reading Room, there are double doors covered in leather held in place with brass rivets and punctured with a small porthole window.
A close up shows the pattern of the animal the leather was made from.
Almost a hundred years of many visitor's hands opening the doors have left textured wear patterns in some parts of the doors.
Viewed from an angle, a pattern with the brass rivets is more evident.
The side doors to the Reading Room have been more gently used and may give a more accurate impression of what they originally looked like.
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http://content.wwu.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wfront/id/2559/rec/62