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. Books, periodicals, electronic resources, microforms, government publications, databases, maps, manu-scripts, 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 assistance, circulation, interlibrary loan, instructional programs, 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 PALINET through which it is connected online to OCLC (Online Computer Library Center).
The University of Delaware Library provides access to electronic resources 24 hours a day via its Web site at [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 108 hours a week. Hours during holidays and intersessions vary. Regular semester hours for the Morris Library are as follows:
| Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday |
8:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. |
- - - - |
2:00 8:00 8:00 2:00 |
a.m. p.m. p.m. a.m. |
The University of Delaware Library is accessible via its Web at [http://www.udel.edu/library]. The Library Web is the place to begin using the Library online. The Library Web provides thousands of links to all types of information including access to DELCAT, databases, electronic journals and newspapers, 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 which is web-based may be accessed from anywhere in the world via the Web at [http://delcat.udel.edu].
New for the Fall 2008 semester, the University of Delaware Library will offer access to WorldCat Local, the world’s largest network of library-based content and services. WorldCat Local encompasses the holding of over 10,000 libraries around the world including the University of Delaware Library.
The University of Delaware Library subscribes to more than 260 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 of the databases are “full text” and include entire articles and some databases include citations and summaries. The Library home page provides a direct link to “Databases.”
The University of Delaware subscribes to over 30,000 electronic and 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 home page [www.udel.edu/library] provides a direct link to “Electronic Journals.”
The Library offers numerous electronic services. Four examples of electronic services are:
Library electronic services are available via the Web at [http://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 redistribution 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 3,000 persons, wireless access in most areas of the Morris Library, special purpose space for computer-based systems, more than 200 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, and many other areas and services.
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. 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].
Founded in 1958, the University of Delaware Library Associates works to enrich the research collections of the University of Delaware Library though 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 may be found on the Web [www.lib.udel.edu] 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 (2007/2008) |
Use Statistics (2007/2008) |
|||
| Books and bound periodicals over |
over 2,700,000 |
Items loaned |
over 380,000 |
|
| Microforms |
over 3,400,000 |
Items used in building |
over 137,000 |
|
| Electronic and print journals including newspapers to which the Library provides access |
over 30,000 |
Individuals entering the Morris Library |
nearly 800,000 |
|
| Linear feet of manuscripts and archives | over 5,100 |
Virtual Visits on Library Web site |
over 1,700,000 |
|
| Other resources (DVDs, maps, etc.) | over 600,000 |
User education provided to individuals | over 7,500 |
|
| Databases | over 260 |
|||
| Subject guides to the Internet | over 120 |
Revised July 11, 2008
