George A. Smathers Libraries
Encyclopedia
The University of Florida
's George A. Smathers Libraries, is one of the largest university library systems in the United States
. The system includes eight of the nine libraries of the University of Florida and provides primary support to all academic programs except those served by the Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center
. Previously the Health Science Center Library was also separate, but it was integrated into the Smathers Libraries on July 1, 2009. The current Dean is Judith C. Russell
. All of the libraries serve all of the university's faculty and students, but each has a special mission to be the primary support of specific colleges and degree programs. As is common in research libraries, library materials are housed in a variety of locations depending upon discipline. The three largest libraries cover an extensive range of disciplines while the smaller libraries focus on three or fewer disciplines.
and image
s, and 20,000 computer data sets.
The libraries have built a number of nationally significant research collections primarily in support of graduate research programs. Among them are collections discussed above, i.e., the Latin American Collection, the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica
, and the Map and Imagery Library. Others include the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature
which is among the world's greatest collections of literature for children (Smathers Library, Special Collections); and the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, which is the state's preeminent Floridiana collection, holding the largest collection of Spanish
colonial
documents concerning southeastern United States
in North America
as well as rich archives of prominent Florida politicians, (Smathers Library, Special Collections).
The Libraries also have particularly strong holdings in architectural preservation and 18th century American architecture (AFA), late 19th and early 20th century German state documents from 1850–1940, Latin American art and architecture, (AFA and Smathers Library), national bibliographies (Smathers Library, Reference), U.S. Census information, especially in electronic format (Marston Science Library, Documents), the rural sociology of Florida and tropical and subtropical agriculture collections (Marston Science Library), English and American Literature
, and U.S. Documents (Marston Science Library, Documents).
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
's George A. Smathers Libraries, is one of the largest university library systems in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The system includes eight of the nine libraries of the University of Florida and provides primary support to all academic programs except those served by the Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center
Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center
The Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center is the official library system of Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. The Library contains legal research materials supporting the study of state, federal, and international law...
. Previously the Health Science Center Library was also separate, but it was integrated into the Smathers Libraries on July 1, 2009. The current Dean is Judith C. Russell
Judith C. Russell
Judith C. Russell is the current Dean of University Libraries at the University of Florida. She is the first Dean of the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries, with the position elevated to the Dean rank from a directorship to reflect the increased importance of the libraries and...
. All of the libraries serve all of the university's faculty and students, but each has a special mission to be the primary support of specific colleges and degree programs. As is common in research libraries, library materials are housed in a variety of locations depending upon discipline. The three largest libraries cover an extensive range of disciplines while the smaller libraries focus on three or fewer disciplines.
Specifications
| Library | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Library West University of Florida Library West The Library West is the major library of the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries system. Its collections consist of material on the humanities and social sciences, as well as African studies and Asian studies resources... |
Is one of the main Libraries in the George A. Smathers Library System. It holds collections in the humanities and social sciences, including resources supporting the Warrington College of Business Warrington College of Business The Warrington College of Business Administration is the business school at the University of Florida. About 6300 students are enrolled in classes, including undergraduates and graduate students, including Master of Business Administration and Ph.D.-seeking students.Undergraduate programs include... , African Studies African studies African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and societies of Africa .The field includes the study of:Culture of Africa, History of Africa , Anthropology of Africa , Politics of Africa, Economy of Africa African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and... , East Asian Area Studies, and the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica The Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica within the University of Florida Libraries' , formally dedicated in March 1981, supports the teaching and research missions of the Center for Jewish Studies and the University of Florida. The core collections began with the Rabbi Leonard C... . This library completed a $30 million renovation Renovation Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes... in December 2003 that doubled its capacity, better equipped information technology Information technology Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications... , and added a Starbucks Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and... to the lobby. |
| Smathers Library (formerly Library East) Library East (Gainesville, Florida) Library East is a historic library in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is located in the northeastern section of the University of Florida in the middle of the Campus Historic District. When it was first created it was the largest building on campus at that time.-History:This facility was... |
Holds many of the Special and Area Studies Collections including the Latin American Collection, the University Archives which includes the University of Florida Health Science Center Archives (housed in a separate location), the Architecture Archives, the P. K. Yonge Library of Florida History, the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature University of Florida Baldwin Library The Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries contains more than 103,000 volumes published in Great Britain and the United States from the early 18th century through the... , Manuscript Collection, the Popular Culture Collections, and the Rare Book Collection. Also home to the Preservation Unit, Acquisitions and Licensing Department and the Cataloging and Metadata Department, as well as the University of Florida's Digital Library Center which supports the University of Florida Digital Collections University of Florida Digital Collections The University of Florida Digital Collections are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the... . |
| Marston Science Library University of Florida Marston Science Library The University of Florida Marston Science Library is the science and engineering library of the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida, and is administered by the university's George A. Smathers Libraries system... |
This is the other main library in the George A. Smathers Library System. It was named after former president of the University of Florida, Robert Q. Marston Robert Q. Marston Robert Quarles "Bob" Marston was an American physician, research scientist, governmental appointee and university administrator. Marston was a native of Virginia, and, after earning his bachelor's, medical and research degrees, he became a research scientist and medical professor... . The library supports agriculture Agriculture Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the... , engineering, mathematics Mathematics Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity... , and the natural and physical sciences. The building also houses the Government Documents Department and the Map and Imagery Library. |
| Architecture and Fine Arts Library (201 Fine Arts Building A) |
Provides collections and services for architecture Architecture Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art... , fine arts, interior design, building construction, landscape architecture Landscape architecture Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions... , and urban design. At present the collection has more than 125,000 volumes. The Library is one of the largest visual arts collections in the South. |
| Education Library (1500 Norman Hall) |
Holds education Education Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts... , child development, higher education Higher education Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology... , education psychology Psychology Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society... , counseling, and children’s literature collections. The collection consists of about 150,000 monographic volumes, approximately 600 journal subscriptions, and almost 600,000 microfiche. |
| Allen H. Neuharth Journalism and Communications Library (1060 Weimer Hall) |
Holds a collection relating to journalism Journalism Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and... , advertising Advertising Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common... , public relations Public relations Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc.... , and telecommunication Telecommunication Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded... . The collection has books, journals, newsletters, videos, magazines, newspapers and various other resources. |
| Music Library (231 Music Building) |
Houses music scores, books, periodicals, and other music-related sources, including a non-circulating collection of sound and visual recordings. |
| University of Florida Health Science Center Libraries | The Health Science Center libraries serve the academic, research, and clinical information needs of the six colleges that make up the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center The J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center includes its primary campuses located in Gainesville, Florida and a major teaching hospital and related facilities in Jacksonville, Florida. The Health Science Center comprises the University of Florida's Colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing,... . The College of Dentistry at UF University of Florida College of Dentistry The University of Florida College of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of Florida. The college is located in the Dental Sciences Building located on the western edge of the Health Science Center campus. The college is one of the six that make up UF's J... , the College of Medicine at UF University of Florida College of Medicine The University of Florida College of Medicine is the medical school of the University of Florida. It is part of the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, with facilities in Gainesville and Jacksonville... , the College of Nursing at UF University of Florida College of Nursing The University of Florida College of Nursing is the nursing school at the University of Florida. Established in 1956, the college is fully accredited and is one of six schools that compose the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center.... , the College of Pharmacy at UF University of Florida College of Pharmacy The University of Florida College of Pharmacy is an American pharmacy school founded in 1923 and located in Gainesville, Florida. The Doctor of Pharmacy program is fully accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.... , the College of Public Health & Health Professions at UF University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions The College of Public Health and Health Profession is the academic college of public health and health professions at the University of Florida. The college was established by the Florida Board of Regents in 1958 as a separate school within the Health Science Center and is a member of the ASPH and... and the College of Veterinary Medicine at UF University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is the veterinary school of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 1976, it is one of six schools that compose the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center... . In addition the Borland Library (2nd floor, Learning Resource Center) can be found at Shands Jacksonville Shands Jacksonville Shands Jacksonville Medical Center is a teaching hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It is one of seven hospitals in the Shands HealthCare system and functions as the Jacksonville campus for the University of Florida's Health Science Center... which is the Jacksonville branch campus of the Health Science Center, and the Veterinary Medicine Reading Room is located in room V1-110 in the CoVM Medicine Building in Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968... . |
Other UF Library Collections
| Library | Specifications |
|---|---|
| University of Florida Digital Collections University of Florida Digital Collections The University of Florida Digital Collections are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the... |
The University of Florida Digital Collections are a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the University of Florida Libraries' collections as well as partner institutions. All materials are Open Access, and full text searchable. The UF Digital Collections' holdings include books, articles, newspapers, photos, videos, audio, and more. The UF Digital Collections System powers all of the UF Digital Collections, including the collaborative Digital Library of the Caribbean Digital Library of the Caribbean The Digital Library of the Caribbean is an international digital library operated collaboratively by the contributing partners.-Partners:... , the Baldwin Library Digital Collection University of Florida Baldwin Library The Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries contains more than 103,000 volumes published in Great Britain and the United States from the early 18th century through the... , and the Florida Digital Newspaper Library Florida Digital Newspaper Library The Florida Digital Newspaper Library provides access to the news and history of Florida through local Florida newspapers. The Florida Digital Newspaper Library is supported by the University of Florida's George A... . The UF Digital Collections System also powers record-only collections like NewspaperCat. As of August 2011, the collections had over 7 million pages. |
| Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center The Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center is the official library system of Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. The Library contains legal research materials supporting the study of state, federal, and international law... |
Between 2004 and 2005 the Legal Information Center was renovated and renamed as the Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center in honor of the late Lawton Chiles Lawton Chiles Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of... ; he was an alumnus of the University of Florida University of Florida The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906... , and a former Governor and United States Senator who served the state of Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... with great distinction. This collection contains legal research materials supporting the study of state, federal, and international law. Notable collection areas include Florida, United States federal taxation, and British Commonwealth materials. |
Collection Strengths
Together the Libraries hold over 5,300,000 cataloged volumes, 7,200,000 microforms, 1,000,000 documents, 550,000 mapsMAPS
Maps is the plural of map, a visual representation of an area.As an acronym, MAPS may refer to:* Mail Abuse Prevention System, an organisation that provides anti-spam support...
and image
Image
An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...
s, and 20,000 computer data sets.
The libraries have built a number of nationally significant research collections primarily in support of graduate research programs. Among them are collections discussed above, i.e., the Latin American Collection, the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica
Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica
The Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica within the University of Florida Libraries' , formally dedicated in March 1981, supports the teaching and research missions of the Center for Jewish Studies and the University of Florida. The core collections began with the Rabbi Leonard C...
, and the Map and Imagery Library. Others include the Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature
University of Florida Baldwin Library
The Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries contains more than 103,000 volumes published in Great Britain and the United States from the early 18th century through the...
which is among the world's greatest collections of literature for children (Smathers Library, Special Collections); and the P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, which is the state's preeminent Floridiana collection, holding the largest collection of Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
documents concerning southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
as well as rich archives of prominent Florida politicians, (Smathers Library, Special Collections).
The Libraries also have particularly strong holdings in architectural preservation and 18th century American architecture (AFA), late 19th and early 20th century German state documents from 1850–1940, Latin American art and architecture, (AFA and Smathers Library), national bibliographies (Smathers Library, Reference), U.S. Census information, especially in electronic format (Marston Science Library, Documents), the rural sociology of Florida and tropical and subtropical agriculture collections (Marston Science Library), English and American Literature
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
, and U.S. Documents (Marston Science Library, Documents).
See also
- George A. Smathers, Former U.S. Senator who was the benefactor of the George A. Smathers Libraries.
- Library WestUniversity of Florida Library WestThe Library West is the major library of the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries system. Its collections consist of material on the humanities and social sciences, as well as African studies and Asian studies resources...
- Smathers LibraryLibrary East (Gainesville, Florida)Library East is a historic library in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is located in the northeastern section of the University of Florida in the middle of the Campus Historic District. When it was first created it was the largest building on campus at that time.-History:This facility was...
- University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC)University of Florida Digital CollectionsThe University of Florida Digital Collections are supported by the University of Florida Digital Library Center in the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. The University of Florida Digital Collections comprise a constantly growing collection of digital resources from the...
- Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s LiteratureUniversity of Florida Baldwin LibraryThe Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries contains more than 103,000 volumes published in Great Britain and the United States from the early 18th century through the...
- Lawton Chiles Legal Information CenterLawton Chiles Legal Information CenterThe Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center is the official library system of Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. The Library contains legal research materials supporting the study of state, federal, and international law...
External links
- George A. Smathers Libraries
- Link to all of UF's libraries
- University of Florida Digital Collections (UFDC), including a statistics page that is updated as materials are loaded
- UF Libraries History Timeline