Library West is the major library of the University of Florida's

George A. Smathers Libraries The George A. Smathers Libraries of the University of Florida constitute one of the largest university library systems in the United States. The system includes eight of the nine libraries of the University of Florida and provides primary support ...

system. Its collections consist of material on the

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at t ...

and

social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of so ...

, as well as

African studies African studies is the study of Africa, especially the continent's cultures and societies (as opposed to its geology, geography, zoology, etc.). The field includes the study of Africa's history (pre-colonial, colonial, post-colonial), demography ...

and

Asian studies Asian studies is the term used usually in North America and Australia for what in Europe is known as Oriental studies. The field is concerned with the Asian people, their cultures, languages, history and politics. Within the Asian sphere, Asia ...

resources. The

Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica ThIsser and Rae Price Library of Judaicawithin the University of Florida LibrariesSpecial & Area Studies Collectionssupports the teaching and research missions of thCenter for Jewish Studiesand the University of Florida. The Isser and Rae Price Li ...

special collection on

Jewish studies Jewish studies (or Judaic studies; he, מדעי היהדות, madey ha-yahadut, sciences of Judaism) is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history (e ...

is also part of the collection. Librarians specializing in these fields are available to help students and faculty with their research. Library West primarily serves the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Journalism and Communications, and the Warrington College of Business Administration. It is the largest of the seven Smathers Libraries at UF. The other major library is the Marston Science Library, which holds collections on

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, and the

natural Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans ar ...

and

physical science Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems, in contrast to life science. It in turn has many branches, each referred to as a "physical science", together called the "physical sciences". Definition Phys ...

s. The library is located at the north end of the Plaza of the Americas, at the Campus Historic District in the northeastern part of campus. The library is colloquially referred to as "Lib West" or "Club West" by some students.

History

Library West was first constructed in 1967 and was originally designated as the "Graduate Research Library." Library East (now Smathers Library) was at the same time designated as the undergraduate library. However, in the following decades the two buildings' collections were integrated together and Library West became established as the social sciences and humanities library on campus. Prompted by a need for more space for materials, Library West was closed for a $30 million renovation in December 2003 that doubled its capacity, improved its

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology syste ...

capabilities, and added a

Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 cou ...

to the lobby. The library reopened in August 2006, and the renovations earned the library gold

LEED certification Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

, making Library West the second UF building to obtain that status (the first was Rinker Hall, which houses the

Rinker School of Building Construction The M. E. Rinker Sr. School of Construction Management at the University of Florida prepares graduates for careers in the construction industry. As part of the university's College of Design, Construction, and Planning, the school's name was offi ...

). Further renovations are planned for the Library West

colonnade In classical architecture, a colonnade is a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally employed in a colonnade which can be straight or cur ...

, and the dates for its construction are yet to be determined. The new design would create a taller and narrower colonnade to replace the existing one, and add several features that would promote more space for students, including the installation of tables and benches. A bronze statue of an

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...

will also be located in the center of the new colonnade after construction ceases.

Services

The library can seat up to 1,400 patrons. It is equipped with eighteen group study rooms, available for checkout from the circulation desk, as well as eight study booths with computers and four booths equipped for viewing videos. Thirty iPad 3 devices are available for checkout at the circulation desk. Four digital

microfilm Microforms are scaled-down reproductions of documents, typically either films or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the original document size. ...

readers are also available for public use, in addition to a significant number of computers and printers. There are numerous carrels and study facilities located on the top floors for

graduate students Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and str ...

, and the top two floors of the library are designated for quiet study only. Usually during the fall and spring semesters Library West is open 24/7, however hours have changed from 8AM to 11PM since after the

COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Library buildings completed in 1967 Buildings at the University of Florida Libraries in Florida

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

1967 establishments in Florida

History

Services

See also

References

External links