Exploring the Rich Resources of Florida Atlantic University Libraries

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Libraries offer a wealth of resources and services to support the academic endeavors of its students, faculty, and the wider community. From traditional print materials to cutting-edge digital resources and unique special collections, FAU Libraries provide a dynamic environment for learning, research, and discovery. This article delves into the various facets of the FAU library system, highlighting its key locations, resources, and services.

Overview of FAU Libraries

The Florida Atlantic University Libraries encompass a network of libraries across FAU's campuses, including:

The S.E. Wimberly Library on the Boca Raton campus.
The University College Library at the Davie campus.
The John D. MacArthur Campus Library in Jupiter.
The Treasure Coast Campus Library in Port St. Lucie.
The FAU Harbor Branch Library.
The Broward County Main Library.

These libraries collectively house approximately 2.5 million items, including books, periodicals, government documents, microforms, and audiovisual materials.

S.E. Wimberly Library: The Main Hub

The S.E. Wimberly Library, located on FAU's main campus in Boca Raton, serves as the central hub of the FAU library system. It is named in honor of Stanley E. Wimberly, a prominent figure at Florida Atlantic University. The library houses approximately 3.7 million items, encompassing a wide range of formats, including:

Print and online books
Periodicals
Government documents
Maps
Media
Other materials

In addition to traditional formats, the library provides access to over 500 databases.

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A Historical Perspective

The S.E. Wimberly Library has a rich history, dating back to its opening on September 14, 1964. Originally a five-story building, the library initially occupied only the three middle floors, sharing space with the offices of the President, Dean of Academic Affairs, Colleges of Business and Education, and Administrative Affairs offices.

As the university grew, so did the library. In 1985, all non-library staff offices were removed, and a three-story, 86,268-square-foot addition was constructed. This new wing, connected to the old building by a 60-by-80-foot atrium, significantly expanded the library's capacity. A sculpture called "Collective Memory" by Dick Cruser was added outside the library at the same time.

In 2005, with FAU's enrollment reaching approximately 25,000 students, the library underwent another expansion. The Paul C. Wimbish Wing, an addition of 22,000 square feet, was completed in the winter of 2007.

Government Depository

The Wimberly Library was designated a Federal Depository in 1963, as well as a State of Florida documents depository. The library receives most government publications either in print or electronically.

Accessing Resources and Services

OneCard holders have access to a variety of services at the FAU Wimberly Library.

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To borrow materials from the library, FAU students need to have a school identification card. FAU students may obtain an OWL identification card in room 201 of the Davie Student Union building.

Online Access

FAU Libraries provide access to a vast collection of online resources, including databases, e-books, and e-journals. The Florida Atlantic Libraries are updating how users access online books, journals, and databases. The transition from EZproxy to OpenAthens will be completed by September 30, 2025, and should not affect access for most users.

Databases

Databases are valuable tools for finding information for research papers. They contain peer-reviewed or scholarly articles. To access databases, users can:

Click on the "Databases" tab.
Search for a database by name or browse alphabetically or by subject.

Some notable databases include:

More than 2000 scholarly journals in education, humanities, mathematics, science, and social science disciplines.
PsycINFO Indexes international literature in psychology and related disciplines.
Web of Science: Comprehensive, multidisciplinary, curated abstract and citation database, with enriched data and linked scholarly literature across a wide variety of disciplines.

Special Collections

FAU Libraries are home to several unique special collections, offering researchers and enthusiasts a glimpse into rare and valuable materials.

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Jaffe Center for Book Arts

The Jaffe Center for Book Arts (JCBA), located within the S.E. Wimberly Library, is a haven for book lovers and artists. The collection was donated to FAU in 1998 by Arthur Jaffe, who collected books for over fifty years. The Jaffe Collection focuses on books as objects of art, over their content, and includes over 6,000 books, all of which Jaffe selected for various aesthetic reasons. The JCBA houses a letterpress studio, a paper lab, and a book studio. The JCBA is home to various exhibits, workshops, and events. Rental space is available at The Jaffe Center Book Arts Studio for both Assisted and Independent Studio Time.

Marvin and Sybil Weiner Spirit of America Collection

The University's Digital Library makes accessible special collections and scholarship digital collections that support the teaching and research of the faculty and students. One such special collection offered by the FAU Library is the Marvin and Sybil Weiner Spirit of America Collection. Marvin and Sybil Weiner donated the collection to FAU in 2006. Weiner was inspired to create the collection by obtaining materials that may have been found in the libraries of men such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. The Spirit of America Collection comprises over 13,000 items. The holdings in this collection include: rare books, manuscripts, pamphlets, historical newspapers, and journals. The Spirit of America Collection allows faculty and students access to materials dating back to the 15th century. Historical time periods covered by the Spirit of America range from colonial America, to the British Government, and even philosophy. The collection is currently housed in the S.E.

Recently, Florida Atlantic University Libraries has received a rare, signed edition of King Edward VIII’s autobiography, A King’s Story, donated by philanthropist Susan Watts in honor of her late husband, Bruce Watts. The limited edition, bound in red Moroccan leather, is one of only 385 copies and adds significant value to the library’s Marvin & Sybil Weiner Spirit of America Collection.

Recorded Sound Archives

The FAU S.E. Wimberly Library also offers a Recorded Sound Archives(RSA). These archives include Jazz, Judaic, and Vintage recordings totaling close to 150,000 and are still in the process of being itemized and digitized. The materials in the Sound Archives are in a variety of mediums from phonographs to CDs. Established in 2002 as a small project dedicated to the preservation of Jewish music but grew into a collection of all types of music. In 2009, the RSA grew to include a Jazz collection and an early American vintage recordings collection.

Branch Libraries

John D. MacArthur Campus Library

The John D. MacArthur Campus Library is located on the John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter, Florida. This library exists to promote the academic curriculum of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College also located on the campus. There are approximately 96,000 volumes in print occupying two floors including published senior Honours Theses titles from 2002 to the present and nearly 6,000 media items in the library's collection. In addition, the library maintains several esoteric special collections such as their Bollywood Film Collection and their Zombie Film Collection.

University College Library at Davie

If you are a FAU Broward student, you do not need to go to the main campus in Boca Raton to get access to the library. Besides having access to library facilities in Davie and Fort Lauderdale, there are also several online resources available to all the students. To borrow materials from the library FAU students need to have a school identification card. FAU students may obtain an OWL identification card in room 201 of the Davie Student Union building.

The facility includes a reference desk, café, open stacks, archives/special collections, study rooms, learning resource labs (Academic Success Center), interlibrary loan, and a check-out desk.

The Broward County Library is a public library system in Broward County. The system circulates over 10.5 million items annually.

Support Services

University Center for Excellence in Writing

The University Center for Excellence in Writing is devoted to the support and promotion of writing for all members of the FAU community-undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and visiting scholars. Our Center provides a range of free support services, including informed and sensitive readers who help writers become more reflective readers and more self-sufficient crafters of their written work. We will help at any point in the writing process (i.e. brainstorming, drafting, revision) with papers for courses, senior or master theses, dissertations, job applications, applications for graduate school, articles for publication, grant proposals, and other documents.

In the future, we hope to provide a host of other services, including supporting computer-facilitated teaching and learning for writing classes, and hosting brown-bag discussions, workshops, and presentations by guest speakers for FAU and local communities. Conferences will vary according to the writing project. In some cases, writing consultants will help writers unpack difficult readings, understand assignments, or generate and clarify ideas. In other cases, they may help writers flesh out weak or biased arguments, understand documentation and citation practices, or follow task-appropriate format. Also,, conferences may help writers develop strategies for identifying patterns of error that can be tracked and proofread for conformity to American academic English. We provide writing aid rather than an editing service. Consequently, consultants will write with, not for writers. Writing consultants help writers at any point of the writing process (i.e.

Student Health Services

Student Health Services: SHS promotes university-wide wellness and encourages healthy lifestyles and personal responsibility to enhance students' capacity for reaching academic and personal goals. Student Health Services is funded exclusively by you, the student - it is your health program. The health fee you pay every semester subsidizes the cost of services. However, there are nominal charges for office visits, lab tests, treatments and procedures.

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