Collections Overview
University Libraries Collections
The University Libraries include Ellis Library (the main library on campus), Health Sciences, Veterinary Medical, Geology, Engineering, Math, Journalism, Missourian Newspaper, and University Archives. The libraries have off-site storage facilities known as the UM Libraries Depositories that hold the bulk of the libraries' older volumes. All together, the holdings of the main library, branches, and off-site storage facilities amount to over three million print volumes, six million microforms, and over 650 online databases.
The University Libraries provide access to over 650 online databases to help support the needs of our faculty, staff, and students.
Books
The Libraries purchase both electronic and print books, which can be searched using Discover@MU. For information about electronic books, check out our ebooks guide.
The Libraries provide access to a variety of academic journals, newspapers, and magazines. Journals may be available in either print or electronic format. Search or browse for journals.
Digital Collections
The University Libraries hosts two local digital repositories. MOspace includes digital versions of MU publications, faculty and student research, papers and presentations, theses and dissertations, and more. The MU Digital Library includes digitized copies of rare and unique books, serials, posters, and maps from our print collections.
Special Collections and Rare Books
The Special Collections and Rare Books department’s holdings span over fourteen centuries and include early manuscripts, incunabula, printed books, periodicals, pamphlets, original comic strips and posters. It also contains important first editions, limited editions, artists’ books, autographed copies and works deemed rare by virtue of age and scarcity.
Since 1862, we have received federal documents through the Federal Depository Library Program. The collection includes documents from the federal government, Missouri state government and selected items from the United Nations.
The University Libraries have over six million microforms. Microform readers are available in Ellis, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Journalism Libraries. Printers are available in Ellis Library.
Ellis Library, the main library on the MU campus, is located on Lowry Mall between Memorial Union and Jesse Hall. Ellis Library contains the principal resources for research in the humanities, the social sciences, and the basic sciences.
The Engineering Library and Technology Commons houses collections related to chemical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, mechanical and nuclear engineering. The library includes a DoIT computing lab as well as the College of Engineering Heritage Collection.
The A.G. Unkleshabay Geological Sciences Library is a US Geological Survey Depository and provides access to print and digital maps including topographic, geologic, and thematic for the entire US. It also has a significant collection for the history of earth sciences.
J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library houses collections related to medicine, nursing, health professions, medical research, patient care, health services management and health informatics. The Donald Silver Rare Books Room's historical collection covers both human and veterinary medicine.
The Mathematical Sciences Library is located in Room 206 on the second floor of the Mathematical Sciences Building. The building is located next to the Student Recreation Center and across the street from Strickland Hall.
The Frank Lee Martin Journalism Library. Named a “collection of distinction” by OCLC, the J-library is home to a deep historical collection; four photojournalism collections; the Betty Houchin Winfield political communication collection and the Steve Weinberg journalism fiction collection.
The Missourian Library maintains clippings, photographs and biographical files from the Columbia Missourian and Columbia Tribune. An online content management system provides access to online and print articles from 2005.
The Zalk Veterinary Medical Library collects all aspects of veterinary medicine including comparative medicine, laboratory animals, human-animal bond, animal welfare, and animal law. Strengths of the collection include veterinary conference proceedings; veterinary history; and mules, the mascot of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
University Archives is the depository of official records of the University of Missouri at Columbia as well as of the administrative records of the University of Missouri System. University Archives also houses and preserves private papers, organizational records, and manuscripts that relate to the history of the University, the University community, and the University System.
Established in 1997, the UM Libraries Depository (UMLD) is a facility for the storage of permanent, important, but infrequently used research library materials. The collection contains materials from the libraries of the University of Missouri, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.