The University of Delaware Library includes the Hugh M. Morris Library, the main library; three branch libraries located in Newark, the Agriculture Library, the Chemistry Library, and the Physics Library; a fourth branch library, the Marine Studies Library in Lewes; and the Library Annex in Newark at the University of Delaware Wyoming Road Complex.
The University of Delaware Library collections parallel the University's academic interests and are broadly based and comprehensive. The collections include 2,800,000 books and bound periodicals of which over 390,000 are E-Books and over 36,000 are E-Journals. Books, periodicals, electronic resources, databases, E-Books, E-Journals, microforms, government publications, maps, manuscripts, media, and access to information via the Internet provide a major academic resource for the University of Delaware, the surrounding community, the State of Delaware, and the nation. The University of Delaware Library is a depository library for U.S. government publications; a patent depository for U.S. patents; and a repository for State of Delaware publications. Library staff members provide a wide range of in-person, online, and telephone services including reference, circulation, interlibrary loan, instructional programs, assistance to users working on multimedia projects, and assistance to users with disabilities.
The University of Delaware Library is an innovator in identifying, acquiring, and making accessible a broad range of electronic library resources. The University of Delaware Library constantly updates the technology and adds resources for students, faculty, and staff to provide the most current and convenient information resources and services to its users.
The University of Delaware Library is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, CIRLA (Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance), and LYRASIS through which it is connected online to OCLC (Online Computer Library Center). The University of Delaware Library is an Affiliate member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) that promotes health information, education, and/or access in the Mid-Atlantic Region which includes Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania
The University of Delaware Library provides access to electronic resources 24 hours a day via the Library web [www.udel.edu/library]. Library users may call 302-831-BOOK for library hours of the Morris Library and branch libraries or check the Library web for library hours. The Morris Library is open a total of 110 hours a week. Hours during holidays and intersessions vary. Regular semester hours for the Morris Library are available directly at [www.udel.edu/library/info/hours].
The University of Delaware Library is accessible via its web [www.udel.edu/library]. The Library web is the place to begin using the Library online and provides thousands of links to all types of information including access to DELCAT, WorldCat Local, databases, electronic journals and newspapers, electronic books, subject guides to Internet resources, and many other types of information and services worldwide.
DELCAT, the University of Delaware Library online catalog, contains information about the Library collection and also provides links to electronic journals and other resources. DELCAT [delcat.udel.edu] which is web-based may be accessed from anywhere in the world via the web
The University of Delaware Library offers access to WorldCat Local, the world’s largest network of library-based content and services. WorldCat Local encompasses the holding of over 23,000 libraries around the world including the University of Delaware Library and is available from the Library home page [www.udel.edu/library].
The University of Delaware Library subscribes to more than 360 licensed databases for use by University of Delaware students, faculty, and staff. Each database allows searching of many thousands of publications at once. Some databases are general in nature and cover virtually all disciplines, and others are specific subject-oriented. Some databases are “full text” and include entire articles and some databases include citations and summaries. The Library home page [www.udel.edu/library] provides a direct link to “Databases.”
The University of Delaware subscribes to over 36,000 E-Journals and over 6,000 print journals including newspapers which cover all disciplines and are licensed for use by University of Delaware students, faculty, and staff. Entire articles from the electronic journals are available online to search, read, and print. The Library collection includes over 390,000 E-Books. The Library web [www.udel.edu/library] provides a direct link to “E-Journals.”
The Library offers numerous electronic services. Examples of electronic services are:
Library electronic services are available via the Library web or directly at [www.udel.edu/library/services/index.html].
The Library initiated an Institutional Repository [dspace.udel.edu] which uses open source DSpace software to capture, store, index, preserve, and redistribute the intellectual output of the University of Delaware original research of faculty and staff in digital form including technical reports, working papers, conference papers, images, and more.The Morris Library provides: seating for more than 2,500 persons, wireless access throughout the Morris Library, with plentiful access to electric outlets for laptops and other devices, more than 275 computer workstations accessible to users, more than 200 laptop connections for University of Delaware users to connect personal laptops including all graduate carrels, a current periodical reading room, self-service photocopiers, microform reader/printers including a digital microform workstation, a large reserve reading room, small research studies which faculty may reserve, a computing site, a GIS workstation, special equipment and areas to assist users with disabilities, an instructional media area and viewing room, small group study rooms for student use, a handsome Special Collections area including an exhibition gallery and a reading room with a controlled environmental system for rare materials, the Student Multimedia Design Center with 80 workstations and 6 studios, and many other areas and services. Bleecker Street café which is operated by Dining Services is located in the Commons just inside the Morris Library entrance.
Users may print from networked printers connected to computer workstations by using UD I.D. cards or Library copy cards on print release stations to pay for printing. The cost is 5 cents per single-side copy or 4 cents per side for double-sided copy. Funds may be added to UD I.D. cards and Library Copy Cards maybe be purchased in the Student Multimedia Design Center on the Lower Level of the Morris Library. University of Delaware students, faculty and staff may print from anywhere to the wireless printer in the Student Multimedia Design Center on the Lower Level of the Morris Library [www.lib.udel.edu/multimedia/printcopyscan.html].
The Library administers a state-supported program called UDLib/SEARCH which provides access via the web to online periodicals and databases to all K-12 public schools in Delaware, training for teachers, librarians, and technical support. More information about UDLib/SEARCH is available at [udlibsearch.lib.udel.edu]. Information for teachers and schools who wish to bring student groups to the Library is available on the web at [www2.lib.udel.edu/usered/tours.htm].
On June 6, 2012, the University of Delaware Library received a major shipment of the Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Senatorial Papers. Joseph Biden represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate for 36 years, serving six consecutive terms until his election as Vice President of the United States in 2008. The Biden senatorial papers will be processed and are expected to be available no sooner than 2019 or two years after leaving public service, whichever is the latter.
Founded in 1958, the University of Delaware Library Associates works to enrich the research collections of the University of Delaware Library through gifts from individuals, funds raised by programs, and donations of significant books. New members are actively solicited for membership with an annual fee of $35.00 minimum per year or a special student rate of $5.00 per year. The membership brochure [www2.lib.udel.edu/udla] may be found on the web or a printed brochure may be requested by sending an email message to [UDLA@udel.edu] or by calling 302-831-2231.
Size of Collections (2011/2012) |
|
| Books and bound periodicals |
over 2,800,000 |
| --E-Books (subset of above) | over 390,000 |
| Microforms | over 3,400,000 |
| Electronic and print journals including newspapers to which the Library provides access | over 42,000 |
| --E-journals and E-newspapers (subset of above) | over 36,000 |
| Other resources (DVDs, maps, etc.) | over 490,000 |
| Databases | over 360 |
| Research guides to the Internet | over 190 |
| Linear feet of manuscripts and archives | over 6,780 |
Use Statistics (2011/2012) |
|
| Items checked out | over 340,000 |
| Items used in building | over 88,000 |
| Individuals entering the Morris Library | over 810,000 |
| Virtual Visits on Library Web site | over 1,600,000 |
| Page views on the Library Web | over 4,000,000 |
| Reference questions | over 150,000 |
| Interlibrary loans | over 41,000 |
| User education provided to individuals | over 9,400 |
| User education provided to groups | over 400 |
| Public computer workstations | over 275 |
Revised July 20, 2012
