University Libraries

Founded in:

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Enrollment:

Serve all students and faculty

National/State rankings:

  • USNWR Rankings
  • Ranked #78 of research libraries in the US and Canada by the Association of Research Libraries. (This is an improvement from the #79 ranking in 2010.)
  • Kornhauser Health Sciences Library is the oldest medical library west of the Alleghenies.
    Anderson Music Library houses the largest academic music collection in Kentucky.

Noteworthy programs based on national recognition, uniqueness or other criteria:

  • Archives and Special Collections Library with one of the largest photographic collections in the U.S.
  • Librarian Diversity Residency Program
  • Robotic Retrieval System in Ekstrom is one of only 18 such installations in the world and, at full capacity, will house 1.2 million volumes

Community Service:

  • Wayside 101 – a program created by a libraries’ faculty member to provide basic computer, information literacy and critical thinking skills to non-traditional, adult learners in the Wayside Mission’s College and Career Program. The focus of the four-week library curriculum was on developing skills that would assist Wayside residents with job hunting in an online environment. Classroom sessions covered such topics as preparing a resume, email account management and completing online job applications. It also provided exposure to campus library resources which are available to the community at large and to the university in general.
  • Medical Library Outreach – Kornhauser Library faculty participate in a state-wide program to provide library services to under-served groups of health professionals. This includes reference and information services, document delivery and training in the use of online medical resources.

Student honors (external awards, scholarships, fellowships, etc.):

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Prominent alumni:

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Other:

The libraries house over 2.3 million volumes and provide access to over 70,000 journal subscriptions
Over 3,000,000 in-person visits were made to the libraries in 2010-11.

In 50 words or less, tell us what makes your school special:

The University Libraries bring national and international recognition to U of L through its membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries. Our collections, facilities, and services are a key factor in student achievement, faculty recruitment, and the university’s ability to be successful in attracting research funding.