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The Northwestern University Libraries' collection of 8.1 million titles and 304 terabytes of unique digital content includes a portfolio of distinguished special collections.
These notable collections include:
- Art Library, a collection focusing on art, architecture and design, with particular strengths in western 19th century art and architecture
- Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections and University Archives, home to rare books, periodicals, posters, manuscripts, photographs and materials pertaining to Northwestern history; including records, scrapbooks, publications and photographs
- Government & Geographic Information Collection, a federal depository library featuring Congressional reports, census information and other official documents
- Herskovits Library of African Studies, the largest collection of Africana materials anywhere in the world
- Mitchell Multimedia Center, a rich video collection with more than 20,000 titles
- Music Library, with unmatched holdings in 20th century and contemporary classical music
- Transportation Library, home to materials on air, rail, highway, pipeline, water, and urban transportation and logistics
$29,000,000+in Annual Expenditures
$34,000,000+ including Galter and Law
About University Library
University Library is one of the busiest buildings on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. Just inside the front entrance, the John P. McGowan Information Commons offers more than 60 high-end computer workstations for online research, plus oversize plasma screens and smartboards for group work and team projects.
University Library, designed by architect Walter S. Netsch, opened in 1970. It is physically linked to its predecessor, the Charles Deering Library, a campus architectural landmark designed by James Gamble Rogers and opened in 1933.
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A bustling building:
- 800,000 visitors each year
- Open 122 hours each week