Designed by architects
A. Quincy Jones and
Frederick Earl Emmons, the eastern half of the building opened in 1964, and the western half in 1970. Originally called the "University Research Library", in 1997 it was named for
Charles E. Young, the university's second-longest serving chancellor (29 years). The building underwent major interior renovations in 2009 (A level) and 2011 (first floor), designed by
Perkins and Will. According to ''
Metropolis Magazine, "In 1950, the late Ray Bradbury – a dedicated autodidact who spent three days a week at libraries in lieu of enrolling in college—entered the typewriter-rental room in the basement of UCLA’s Powell Library. With a roll of dimes and the kernel of a story, he holed up in front of a Royal typewriter and pounded out Fahrenheit 451'', the cri de coeur for the importance of books that launched his long career. All it took was nine days and 98 dimes." As part of renovations of the building's common areas, the library's cafe was named "Cafe 451", and a Bradbury quote was painted in a frequently used stairwell: "Without libraries, what have we? We have no past, and no future." ==Renovations==