The University Libraries contained 1,760,000 cataloged volumes, over 3,250,000 microfilms, 18,000 serial titles, and over 585,000 government documents, supported by extensive collections in music, maps, law and other specialized materials.
In 1965, the University Libraries adapted the Library of Congress Classification System as a scheme for organizing the collection. In order to maximize the mnemonics of that system, materials are located and distributed accordingly. Library materials relating to most social sciences and humanities and the government documents collection are housed in the Robert Manning Strozier Library;. Music materials are housed in the Warren D. Allen Music Library. Materials relating to Library Science are located in the Harold Goldstein Library Science Library. Science materials are located in the Paul A. M. Dirac Science Library; and law materials are located in the Law Library;. A small working collection of special materials is located in the College of Engineering Reading Room at Innovation Park.
The Library's book stacks are open to faculty, staff and students. Faculty may borrow books for a maximum of twelve weeks with renewal privileges unless there is a request for the book from another user. All books are subject to recall on request. Books must be returned to the Library for renewal purposes. Because of the heavy demand, bound periodicals circulate to faculty and graduate students overnight only.
LUIS, the Library's online catalog, is available to faculty and students at terminals located throughout the University Libraries. Users may also access the catalogs of the libraries of the nine State Universities or the 36 major libraries who are members of the Research Libraries Group through any personal computer with a modem. The Reference Desk can provide users with further information.
The University Libraries collections support the courses and degrees offered. The Library has a plan whereby it receives automatically newly published books marketed in the United States. All faculty members are encouraged to take an active part in building the Library Collection. Purchase request cards can be obtained from the Acquisitions Department of the Library. Interlibrary loan service is offered via computer terminal connections to the major research libraries in the country. The Library has a growing collection of data bases in CD-ROM format. These data bases are free to all users. The University Library is a member of the Center for Research Libraries; and the Research Libraries Group, significant resources for research materials.
Faculty members who wish to place books on reserve should obtain request forms from the appropriate Reserve Book Desk. To ensure prompt placement of materials on reserve, faculty may wish to bring books directly to the Reserve Desk. Members of the faculty are urged to notify the librarians whenever special assignments in periodicals or reference books have been made or when a book will be heavily used.
Faculty members are encouraged to consult with the librarians working in their areas of interest to become acquainted with the various services the Library provides. Library orientation sessions for faculty and classes can be arranged through the Reference Department of the Library.