The UCLA Library: A History of Growth, Innovation, and Regional Resource
The UCLA Library system stands as one of the largest academic research libraries in North America, boasting a collection of over twelve million books and 100,000 serials. This extensive system is distributed across 12 libraries, 12 archives, reading rooms, research centers, and the Southern Regional Library Facility. The Southern Regional Library Facility serves as a remote storage location for the southern UC campuses.
Founding and Early Development
The University Library at Los Angeles was founded in 1883, a mere two years after the establishment of the California State Normal School (later to become UCLA). The library's inaugural acquisition was Dr. Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden's "Survey of Wyoming and Idaho". In 1910, Elizabeth Fargo became the university's first librarian, and by 1919, she managed the library with a staff of four.
Upon Fargo's retirement in 1923, John E. Goodwin assumed the role of librarian, overseeing a collection of 42,000 volumes with a staff of 12. Goodwin initiated the reclassification of books from the Dewey Decimal System to the Library of Congress Classification System to ensure the library's orderly expansion. Starting in 1929, Goodwin supervised the construction and development of the Main Library after the university settled in Westwood. Goodwin also facilitated the bequest of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library to UCLA in 1934.
Post-War Expansion and Innovation
In 1944, Lawrence Clark Powell succeeded Goodwin and implemented systematic changes and acquisitions to enhance the prestige of the UCLA library system. During Powell's tenure, the central book stack was completed, significantly expanding the library's facilities. A concerted effort was made to develop new and comprehensive collections to support the growing academic research on campus.
Robert Vosper was appointed University Librarian in 1961. Ground was broken the following year for the first unit of the University Research Library, now the Charles E. Young Research Library. The construction of the Research Library, completed in 1964, involved moving approximately 4 million index cards and 14 miles of books. The six-story facility became the administrative center for the UCLA Library system, and the Main Library was converted into the College Library. By 1964, the Library ranked 11th in the country, with over two million volumes.
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Leadership and Modernization
Vosper was succeeded by Page Ackerman in 1973, who served as librarian until her retirement in 1977. Ackerman was the first woman in the United States to head a library system of such scale. She oversaw the development of the Library's administrative network, which became an innovative model for library management systems nationwide. Ackerman also increased coordination with other UC campus libraries due to state budget issues. During her tenure, the UCLA Library acquired collections on important figures, including Ralph J. Bunche, Gertrude Stein, and Anaïs Nin.
Since Ackerman's retirement in 1977, UCLA has steadily increased its collections, facilities, and staff under librarians Russell Shank (1977-1990), Gloria Werner (1990-2002), Gary E. Strong (2003-2013), Virginia Steel (2013-2023), and Athena Jackson (2024-present).
Key Collections and Facilities
The UCLA Library system includes several notable libraries and collections:
- Eugene and Maxine Rosenfeld Management Library
- The Hugh and Hazel Darling Law Library
- Schoenberg Music Building with the Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library: Established in 1942 and moved to its current location in 1956, the music library was named after Walter H. Rubsamen in 1976.
- Charles E. Young Research Library
- Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library
- UCLA Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library
- Richard C. Rudolph East Asian Library
- Ralph J. Bunche Collection
Special Collections
UCLA Library Special Collections (LSC) provides a distinctive learning environment for the UCLA community and society at large. Its mission and principles include:
- Open Access: Supporting the free exchange of information and ensuring all holdings can be discovered, used, and reach a wide audience.
- Service: Providing expert staff to meet user needs quickly and efficiently, anticipating evolving research needs.
- Collaboration: Partnering with colleagues in the UCLA Library, on campus, in surrounding communities, and in the library and archives profession.
- Education: Teaching the significance of cultural heritage and the importance of primary research skills.
- Innovation: Developing creative and flexible strategies to meet future challenges.
- Leadership: Demonstrating Library Special Collections’ role as fundamental to the mission of the UCLA Library and the university.
- Sustainability: Making decisions that ensure the long-term care and health of collections, staff, and donor relationships.
LSC offers various services, including e-Delivery and Duplication, exhibition lending to museums and cultural heritage sites worldwide, and research guides to browse materials by discipline.
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University Archives
Established in 1949 by Provost Clarence A. Dykstra, the UCLA University Archives serves as the official repository for non-current UCLA records with permanent historical, fiscal, legal, or administrative value. It collects official university records in all formats that document the history of administrative and academic departments, programs, related organizations, and campus groups. A full listing of available University Archives can be found in the Online Archive of California or in UC Library Search.
The University Archives collects non-current materials from UCLA administrative offices and departments, academic departments and programs, faculty, alumni, the general public, and related organizations.
Contemporary Music Score Collection
In 2020, the Contemporary Music Score Collection, the first major open access collection of new music, was established by music librarian Matthew Vest.
Current Resources
The library collection consists of more than 8 million volumes and more than 78,000 current serial titles, along with an expanding electronic resources collection. The UCLA Library also offers equipment lending, research consultations, data services, and access to online resources for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
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