The centerpiece of this building is the place we now call the Great Reading Room. This room was intentionally made the most lavish. It was to be the center of all activity in the library. Along with the handcrafted tables, chairs, shelves, and desks, the college invested in three painted murals, which were hung in the reading room. A man by the name William de Leftwitch Dodge was hired to paint the murals. Dodge himself wrote a description of the murals. The first was called In Memoriam, the second Education, and the third was a combination of three paintings called The Glory and Grandeur of lowa. The three sections of the third were known as Agriculture, The Council of Indians, and The Commonwealth.

    Below the murals were the shelves and student seating. The Reading Room had a seating capacity of 208 and the shelves held more than 40,000 books.   This and the other space throughout the library was constantly full. This was the most important building on campus at that time. Students could be found reading and researching during all hours.

    During the second year of its existence, "3,100 books and 665 pamphlets were cataloged and shelved."  A room was added specifically for children's books in December 1912.  This collection was one that was highly valued. Many believed that in order to teach young people, teachers should study children's literature. This would allow them to relate on the same level as the younger children they would be teaching. This collection still exists in Rod Library today.