International Institute for Sport
and Olympic History

On September 27, 2001, the IISOH signed a real estate contract purchasing the building that will become the home of Library and Museum in the summer of 2003. The building is located in Patton Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania, just 2 miles from the Borough of State College and the Pennsylvania State University.

Known as the APS Building, it is the current library and office of the American Philatelic Society, the national headquarters of stamp collectors. The building was constructed in 1981 and has 25,000 square of space. The Philatelic Society is moving to larger office and library space in nearby Bellefonte, PA.

The building is situated on a 5 acre parcel of land which will allow the IISOH latitude in expanding the facility in the future. The Board of Directors has discussed some ideas which will allow the Institute to become a gathering spot for the community including landscaping the exterior grounds with statuary and gardens and operating a public restaurant with an outdoor terrace where a cafeteria currently exists.

The building is in a prime location, just one block off the Toftrees exit of the new Interstate 99. Across the street is the headquarters of the Shaner Hotel Group with a Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn & Suites, Outback Steak House and Olive Garden restaurants. Two shopping centers are within a two block walk, one anchored by WalMart and the other anchored by Target. Penn State University and downtown State College are less than seven minutes by car. The University Park airport is a short ten minute ride through the Toftrees community. The Oakwood Planned Community is immediately behind the building with approximately 400 homes, townhouses and apartments.

The building will be renamed in 2003 as the International Institute for Sport and Olympic History. The two divisions of the Institute will be the Library and the Museum. The Board of Directors are seeking benefactor(s) to endow each division with a $20 million donation. The benefactor(s) will then be permitted to name the Library or Museum, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Go to the ENDOWMENTS page..

The Board of Directors believe that the facility will be a great starting point for the Institute because the concentration can be immediately directed towards collection development and not building construction. Photos of the building will available on this page soon.

The scope of the Library's collection will be quite ambitious as it seeks to develop quality collections in every sport area. The Institute will seek benefactors to endow each subject area in order to have a perpetual fund for acquisitions, maintenance and conservation of the collection. The Museum will emphasize educational programs with displays that are both interesting and, wherever possible, interactive. The Museum's displays will be both inside and outside the building, with five sculpture gardens tentatively planned for the exterior of the building. In addition the Museum will have traveling displays and exhibitions in order to reach out to the general public everywhere.

Following meetings of the Board of Directors held on September 7-9, 2001 the Institute had planned to announce a public fundraising plan on Tuesday, September 11. The President and Treasurer were meeting at 9:30 AM when the terrorist attacks in the United States abruptly cancelled the meeting. They adjourned and watched in horror as events unfolded in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. It was decided that public announcements should be delayed to October.

The first media announcement was made in an article which appeared in the CENTRE DAILT TIMES on Tuesday, October 2, 2001, on page 4.

Go to the SUBJECT AREAS page..
These are the areas of interest for the IISOH - a long list but not necessarily a complete list!

Other links to pages about the International Institute for Sport and Olympic History.

Read the Articles of Incorporation here.

Read the BYLAWS here.

Meet the Board of Directors here..

Charter Membership Drive: September 1, 2001 to December 31, 2003.
Join now or send a donation. .

Updated May 7, 2003

Contact:
International Institute for Sport and Olympic History (IISOH)
PO Box 175
State College, PA, USA 16804

Mr. Harvey Abrams, President
Mr. Bruce Lorich, Treasurer

Phone(814) 237-8331 - leave a message....
Fax(814) 237-8332
email