The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington D.C.–Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an off-site storage facility, is located just outside campus, and the Priddy Library is located on the University System of Maryland satellite campus in Shady Grove.
The UMD Libraries are a key academic resource that supports the teaching, learning, and research goals of the university. The various materials collected by the libraries can be accessed by students, scholars, and the general public. The libraries feature 4 million volumes and a substantial number of e-resources (including more than 17,000 e-journal titles), a variety of archives and special collections, and a host of technological resources which enable remote online access to the Libraries' holdings and services. They are members of both the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) and the University System of Maryland and Affiliate Institutions (USMAI). The libraries are currently ranked 10th in electronic resources as a percentage of total library materials by the 115-member Association of Research Libraries.
History
A library/gym building was constructed on campus in 1893, which survived the Great Fire of 1912; the building, which stood where Tydings Hall now stands, was razed in 1958. A new library building, called Shoemaker Library (now known as the Shoemaker Building), was constructed in 1931 (named for Samuel M. Shoemaker, chairman of the Board of Regents from 1916 to 1933), and served as the university's main library until the construction of McKeldin Library in 1958.
The university's library became a Federal depository library in 1925, a status it has held since. In 1965, the library system became the Regional Depository for Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
Administration
The Office of the Dean serves as the executive administrative unit of the University of Maryland Library system, headed by the Dean of Libraries. Adriene Lim, PhD, began as Dean of Libraries on August 19, 2019. She succeeds Babak Hamidzadeh who served as Interim Dean of the Libraries starting in July 2015 after the retirement of Patricia Steele. Reporting to the Dean of Libraries are five additional administrative units, each led by an associate dean or director: Administrative Services, the Collection Strategies & Services division (CSS), the Digital Services and Technoologies division (DST), the Strategic Communications and Outreach Office, the Research and Academic Services division (RAS).
The Library Assembly (LA) is primarily an advisory council for the Dean of Libraries and LMG (Library Management Group). Faculty, staff, students, and administrators are all free to participate in the Library Assembly meetings. Voting membership of the assembly consists of library faculty, elected staff representatives, and elected graduate assistant representatives.
McKeldin Library
McKeldin Library is the main branch of the University of Maryland Library system. Constructed in 1958, the building is named for Theodore McKeldin, the former Governor of Maryland. McKeldin Library is one of the largest buildings on campus, consisting of seven floors and a basement. Located at the western end of McKeldin Mall, the library is home to the university's General Collection. and the 90,000 volume East Asia Collection. McKeldin Library also serves as a regional Federal depository library, housing the U.S. Government Information, Maps & GIS Services collection, and previously hosted the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities (MITH) until the summer of 2012, when MITH moved to its new home in the university's Hornbake Library.
Also housed in McKeldin Library are several computer labs, a copy shop, and Footnotes Café.
McKeldin Library remains open to students, faculty, and staff on a 24/5 schedule most of the Fall and Spring semesters (from 11am Sunday morning to 8pm Friday night), in order to provide late night study hours for university students; A UMD (College Park) identification card is necessary to gain access to the building during the late night study hours (after 11pm and before 8am). Note: During Fall and Spring semesters McKeldin library is closed to all users on Fridays after 8pm. Saturday open hours are from 10am to 9pm. 24/5 re-opening is at 11am Sunday morning.