Chicago Studies

History of the John Crerar Library

The John Crerar Library is home to collections in the biological, medical and physical sciences as well as collections in general science and the philosophy and history of science, medicine, and technology. Opened in 1984, the library resulted from the merger of the John Crerar Library, a library established in Chicago in 1894 with the University of Chicago. The mission of the John Crerar Library is to serve the educational and research aims of the University of Chicago while continuing to honor the spirit of John Crerar by welcoming visitors to use the research collections at the library.

Innovation on a Grand Scale: Revisiting Regenstein Library at 50

The opening of the Joseph Regenstein Library in 1970 was a transformative moment in the academic history of the University of Chicago. Consolidating more than 1.6 million volumes into stacks spaces arranged across seven expansive floors, the massive new building brought together the Library’s general humanities and social science collections with holdings from twelve departmental libraries previously housed in separate buildings across the campus.