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Old Orientation

Learn about the University of Chicago Library collections, services, and spaces

Electronic Collections

Electronic resources are a growing part of the University of Chicago Library. Users can browse electronic journals, search for articles in over 500 databases, or read a book online.

Many of these resources can be found through the Library Catalog and accessed while off campus.

Special Collections

The University of Chicago Library Special Collections Research Center is home to the University of Chicago Library's rare books, archives, and manuscript collections. The research center allows students, faculty, and staff to use notable collections online through web exhibits and library guides, or by visiting the center. Notable collections include:

Library Collections

The University of Chicago Library supports your research and curricular needs through actively collecting print and electronic scholarship. This page provides a brief overview of the library's collections and partnerships. To learn how to navigate the library's catalog and discover resources, visit the library's 'Find' tab.

The University of Chicago Library is the 9th largest research collection in North America. Our collections include:

  • 11 million volumes in print and electronic form
  • 137 terabytes of born-digital archives, digitized collections, and research data
  • 59.582 linear feet of archives and manuscripts
  • Millions of items in other formats, including government documents, maps, musical scores and more

The campus is served by six campus libraries. Regenstein Library holds the largest percentage of the Library's collection with over 4.5 million print volumes focusing on subjects in the humanities and social sciences, as well as business, divinity, and area studies.

The Libraries’ collections are developed and managed by subject librarians. Purchase recommendations are always welcome.

The University of Chicago Library participates in library consortia, which allows students, faculty, and staff to borrow items owned by other institutions. These consortia are UBorrow (comprised of Big Ten institutions plus the University of Illinois – Chicago) and BorrowDirect (comprised of Ivy League institutions plus MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Duke). As a benefit of membership, the Library's collections are greatly expanded to serve campus's diverse research interests.

Access Resources Off Campus

View the 90 second video below to learn how to access library resources off-campus.