University of Delaware

Library

Does the school have a library on campus? – Yes
Is it a member of a library consortia? – Yes
Number of books, serial backfiles, and other material including government documents: 2,667,242
Number of current serial subscriptions: 12,530
Number of microforms: 3,419,588
Number of audiovisuals: 144,772
Number of ebooks: 311,345
Other library facilities: The University of Delaware Library collections parallel the University’s academic interests and are broadly based and comprehensive. The University of Delaware Library is an innovator in identifying, acquiring and making accessible a broad range of electronic library resources via its web site at [www.lib.udel.edu]. The Library provides access to more than 32,000 current electronic journals and newspapers and more than 230 online databases covering all disciplines licensed for use by University of Delaware students, faculty and staff. Library staff members provide a broad range of in-person, online and telephone services, including an online live reference service called AskRef Live. The Library provies seating for more than 3,000 persons; wireless access on all floors of the Morris Library; more than 200 computer workstations with Internet access accessible to users; more than 200 laptop connections for UD users to connect peronal laptops; a large reserve reading room; a current periodical reading room; digital microform workstations; a GIS workstation; video editing workstation; a computing site with application software; video/DVD viewing carrels; student group study roooms; faculty resarch studies; an Assistive Technology Center for users with disabilities; and a handsome Special Collections area with exhibition gallery and reading room where students may gain access to premier primary reserach materials that comprise the rare book and manuscript collection. The Library is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance and PALINET.

Museums or other Special Academic Buildings on Campus: The University Museums house three major collections on the University’s Newark Campus: The Paul R. Jones Collection, the University Gallery Collection and the Mineralogical Msueum. The Paul R. Jones Collection of African American Art, a gift to the University in 2001, is housed in Mechanical Hall, an historic 19th-Century campus building that recently underwent a 4.6 million renovation to house gallery and collections storage space, as well as offices for museum studies, sociology, art history, University Museums and the UD/Winterthur Program in Art Conservation. With more than 1,500 pieces, the Paul R. Jones Collection is one of the oldest, largest and most complete holdings of African-American art in the world. The University Gallery was established by the University’s Board of Trustees in 1978 to promote excellence and understanding of the arts and humanities. The Mineralogical Museum at the University of Delaware has an outstanding collection numbering more than 5,000 specimens, 600 of which are on display in the Irenee du Pont Mineral Room in Penny Hall. The collection of the late Irenee du Pont forms the core of the museum. Mr. du Pont, president of the DuPont Company from 1919-26, purchased a collection of 2,000 minerals from Tiffany jewelers in 1919. Over the next decade, he continued to add to the collection. He died in 1963, and his will specified that the collection was to be donated to a college or university to be used for education. The collection was offered to the University of Delaware, which accepted it.