The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
-
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the
College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an off-site storage facility, is located just outside campus, and the Priddy Library is located on the
University System of Maryland
The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the United States, U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Maryland, College Park, Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimor ...
satellite campus in Shady Grove.
The UMD Libraries are a key academic resource that supports the teaching, learning, and research goals of the university. The various materials collected by the libraries can be accessed by students, scholars, and the general public. The libraries feature 4 million volumes and a substantial number of e-resources (including more than 17,000 e-journal titles), a variety of archives and special collections, and a host of technological resources which enable remote online access to the Libraries' holdings and services. They are members of both the
Big Ten Academic Alliance
The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), formerly the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), is the academic consortium of the universities in the Big Ten Conference. The consortium was renamed on June 29, 2016.
Member universities
The B ...
(BTAA) and th
University System of Maryland and Affiliate Institutions(USMAI). The libraries are currently ranked 10th in electronic resources as a percentage of total library materials by the 115-member
Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 127 research libraries at comprehensive, research institutions in Canada and the United States. ARL member libraries make up a large portion of the academic and research l ...
.
History
![UMD Shoemaker](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/UMD_Shoemaker.JPG)
A library/gym building was constructed on campus in 1893, which survived
the Great Fire of 1912
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
; the building, which stood where Tydings Hall now stands, was razed in 1958. A new library building, called Shoemaker Library (now known as the Shoemaker Building), was constructed in 1931 (named for Samuel M. Shoemaker, chairman of the Board of Regents from 1916 to 1933), and served as the university's main library until the construction of McKeldin Library in 1958.
The university's library became a
Federal depository library
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a government program created to make U.S. federal government publications available to the public at no cost. As of April 2021, there are 1,114 depository libraries in the United States and its ter ...
in 1925, a status it has held since. In 1965, the library system became the Regional Depository for Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
Administration
The Office of the Dean serves as the executive administrative unit of the University of Maryland Library system, headed by the Dean of Libraries. Adriene Lim, PhD, began as Dean of Libraries on August 19, 2019. She succeeds Babak Hamidzadeh who served as Interim Dean of the Libraries starting in July 2015 after the retirement of Patricia Steele. Reporting to the Dean of Libraries are five additional administrative units, each led by an associate dean or director: Administrative Services, th
Collection Strategies & Servicesdivision (CSS), th
Digital Services and Technoologiesdivision (DST), the Strategic Communications and Outreach Office, th
Research and Academic Servicesdivision (RAS).
The Library Assembly (LA) is primarily an advisory council for the Dean of Libraries and LMG (Library Management Group). Faculty, staff, students, and administrators are all free to participate in the Library Assembly meetings. Voting membership of the assembly consists of library faculty, elected staff representatives, and elected graduate assistant representatives.
McKeldin Library
![UMD McKeldin long2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/UMD_McKeldin_long2.JPG)
McKeldin Library is the main branch of the University of Maryland Library system. Constructed in 1958, the building is named for
Theodore McKeldin
Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin (November 20, 1900August 10, 1974) was an American politician. He was a member of the Republican Party, served as mayor of Baltimore twice, from 1943 to 1947 and again from 1963 to 1967. McKeldin was the 53rd Govern ...
, the former Governor of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
. McKeldin Library is one of the largest buildings on campus, consisting of seven floors and a basement. Located at the western end of
McKeldin Mall, the library is home to the university's General Collection. and the 90,000 volume East Asia Collection. McKeldin Library also serves as a regional
Federal depository library
The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) is a government program created to make U.S. federal government publications available to the public at no cost. As of April 2021, there are 1,114 depository libraries in the United States and its ter ...
, housing the U.S. Government Information, Maps & GIS Services collection, and previously hosted the
Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities
The Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities (MITH) is an international research center that works with humanities in the 21st century. A collaboration among the University of Maryland College of Arts and Humanities, Libraries, and O ...
(MITH) until the summer of 2012, when MITH moved to its new home in the university's
Hornbake Library
The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an o ...
. Also housed in McKeldin Library are several computer labs, a copy shop, and Footnotes Café.
![UMD Mckeldin Fountain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/UMD_Mckeldin_Fountain.JPG)
McKeldin Library remains open to students, faculty, and staff on a 24/5 schedule most of the Fall and Spring semesters (from 11am Sunday morning to 8pm Friday night), in order to provide late night study hours for university students; A UMD (College Park) identification card is necessary to gain access to the building during the late night study hours (after 11pm and before 8am). Note: During Fall and Spring semesters McKeldin library is closed to all users on Fridays after 8pm. Saturday open hours are from 10am to 9pm. 24/5 re-opening is at 11am Sunday morning.
Terrapin Learning Commons
Former Dean of Libraries Patricia Steele announced plans to gut the second floor of McKeldin during the summer of 2010 in order to make room for a new "Terrapin Learning Commons" (commonly referred to as the TLC). Steele hoped to "reevaluate" all seven of the library's floors, with the ultimate goal of (gradually) transforming McKeldin into a study-oriented, laptop-friendly central library for the university, and perhaps creating a floor specifically designed for graduate students.
[Office of the Dean, Univ. of Maryland Libraries](_blank)
Retrieved 2010-6-17.[Wells, Carrie. New libraries dean works to revamp and expand McKeldin’s study spaces. ''The Diamondback''. October 22, 2009.](_blank)
Retrieved 2010-6-17.
The new laptop-friendly learning commons opened for the Fall 2011 semester, with plans to add multimedia workstations and lockers which can recharge laptops in between classes. A graduate-only study room opened later during the fall semester. In September 2012, the TLC expanded to include a Tech Desk, which provides a variety of services, including equipment loan, and specialized printing support.
Hornbake Library
![UMD Hornbake Library](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/UMD_Hornbake_Library.JPG)
Constructed in 1972 as a separate undergraduate library, '
Hornbake Library'' was named in 1980 for R. Lee Hornbake, the former Academic Vice President of the University of Maryland.
The building was repurposed as repository for special collections,
and now Hornbake Library is home to the
College of Information Sciences, the
Human-Computer Interaction Lab, the
Gordon W. Prange Collection
The Gordon W. Prange Collection () is the most comprehensive archive in the world of Japanese print publications issued during the early years of the Occupation of Japan, 1945–1949. The Collection is located in Hornbake Library at the Universit ...
(a collection of Japanese print publications issued during the early years of the Occupation of Japan, 1945-1949), the Katherine Anne Porter Room, and the Maryland Room, which houses Special Collections and University Archives. In September 2012, the
Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities
The Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities (MITH) is an international research center that works with humanities in the 21st century. A collaboration among the University of Maryland College of Arts and Humanities, Libraries, and O ...
(MITH) moved to a new space in Hornbake Library, having been previously located in the basement of
McKeldin Library
The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the University of Maryland, College Park, College Park ca ...
. Hornbake Library is located in Hornbake Plaza, which sits east of the
Adele H. Stamp Student Union
The Adele H. Stamp Student Union, commonly referred to as "Stamp", is the student activity center on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. First constructed in 1954 (with additions in 1962 and 1971), the building was renamed ...
. Since 1973, Hornbake Library had been the home o
Library Media Serviceswhich lent non-print media, including DVDs and production equipment, but in June 2019, the Provost, Mary Ann Rankin, and Dean of the College of Information Studies,
Keith Marzullo
Keith Marzullo is the inventor of Marzullo's algorithm, which is part of the basis of the Network Time Protocol and the Windows Time Service. On August 1, 2016 he became the Dean of the University of Maryland College of Information Studies aft ...
, announced that the space would be repurposed as a space for the College of Information Studies' faculty and students. While UMD Libraries now only staff the special collections areas, there are a variety of self-serve study spaces available throughout Hornbake Library.
Architecture Library
Located in the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, the library's collection areas include architectural history, design, and theory, as well as historical preservation, landscape architecture, real estate development, and urban studies and planning.
[Architecture Library, ''Welcome''](_blank)
Retrieved 2013-03-1.
The Architecture Library is currently a "print limited" library, meaning they will continue to retain their current print materials, but their new acquisitions shall primarily be e-resources. This new policy is part of their strategy to become the model 21st century library for Sustainability in the Built Environment.
Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library
Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library opened in 2000 as part of the
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is a performing arts complex on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. The facility, which opened in 2001, houses six performance venues; the UM School of Music; and the UMD School of The ...
and is home to the university's music, theatre, and dance materials; the collection includes 56,000 books, 156,000 musical scores, 130,000 audio and video recordings, 4500 microfilm titles, and 281 active journal subscriptions.
[Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, ''About Us.''](_blank)
Retrieved 2013-03-1.
The library's public areas include a large main reading room with individual study carrels, a separate reading room for special collections, a lounge-style study room, a seminar room, and a study room. Connecting the library to the Smith Center's Grand Pavilion is the multi-media exhibitions gallery, with an adjacent lecture/concert room.
Special Collections in Performing Arts
In addition to the general collections, the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library is home to the Special Collections in Performing Arts (SCPA). Special collections preserves and provides access to primary source materials on music, dance, and theater, with special interest in local performing groups and movements. Some highlights include Jim Henson Works, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange Archives, the Viola da Gamba Society of America Archives and the American Composers Alliance Score Collection. SCPA is the repository for several professional organizations, including the
National Association for Music Education
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is an organization of American music educators dedicated to advancing and preserving music education as part of the core curriculum of schools in the United States. Founded in 1907 as the Mus ...
, the
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association (ABA) was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music.Raoul F. Camus. "American Bandmasters Association." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/sub ...
, and the
Music Library Association The Music Library Association (MLA) of the United States is the main professional organization for music libraries and librarians (including those whose music materials form only part of their responsibilities and collections). It also serves corpo ...
. It is known as a significant repository of materials on the D.C. punk scene.
International Piano Archives at Maryland (IPAM)
The Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library also holds the International Piano Archives at Maryland (IPAM); a collection of materials for the study, appreciation, and preservation of the classical piano repertoire and its performance. Founded in 1965 by Albert Petrak and Gregor Benko, the Piano Archives was started in Cleveland, Ohio, but the organization was soon relocated to New York City where William Santaella joined the staff. The archives quickly grew and in 1977 the International Piano Archives was given to the University of Maryland. IPAM collections consist of piano recordings, books, scores, programs and related materials, including the archival papers of many great keyboard artists.
Other libraries
![Glenn L](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Glenn_L._Martin_Institute_of_Technology_at_UMCP%2C_2007.jpg)
The other libraries located on the University of Maryland campus include the Art Library, located in the
Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building, which houses over 100,000 volumes in the areas of art history, archaeology, decorative arts and the studio arts (including photography and graphic design); and the STEM Library which was formed in January 2018 from the merging of the former Chemistry Library and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Library (EPSL). The library remains in the same location as EPSL, in the Mathematics Building, and it contains resources supporting work in engineering, computer, mathematical, and physical sciences. There are also two off-campus libraries: the Severn Library developed in 2016 in the off-campus Severn Building. The library holds about 1.25 million volumes and about 40,000 archival boxes; and the off-main-campus Priddy Library is located in
Rockville, Maryland
Rockville is a city that serves as the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, and is part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. The 2020 census tabulated Rockville's population at 67,117, making it the fifth-largest community in ...
, as a support library for the
Universities at Shady Grove
The Universities at Shady Grove began in 1992 as part of the University of Maryland University College. In 2000, it reformed under its present name. Daytime, evening and weekend classes are offered at Shady Grove to students studying in 80 undergr ...
, a collaborative campus effort by nine institutions in the
University System of Maryland
The University System of Maryland (USM) is a public higher education system in the United States, U.S. state of Maryland. The system is composed of the eleven campuses at College Park, Maryland, College Park, Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimor ...
.
Criticism
In 2006, Maryland's libraries were considered to be below the standards set by the university's own designated peer institutions -
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
and
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
are two such schools. Further compounding this problem was a cut in the budget of the libraries at the school. The university's student newspaper, ''
The Diamondback
''The Diamondback'' is an independent student newspaper associated with the University of Maryland, College Park. It began in 1910 as ''The Triangle'' and became known as ''The Diamondback'' in 1921. Now a weekly online journal, ''The Diamondback ...
'', criticized this decision.
Editorial. Library budget needs rescuing from critical levels ''The Diamondback''. September 26, 2006.
Retrieved 2006-12.
External links
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of Maryland Libraries
Libraries
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
Federal depository libraries
Libraries in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...