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The Cornell University Library's collections encompass a rich and varied universe of printed volumes, digital resources, maps, media, and archival materials. With nearly 8 million volumes, almost 8.5 million microforms, more than 71,000 cubic feet of manuscripts and close to 500,000 other materials, Cornell University Library (CUL) is among the 10 largest academic research libraries in North America. In 2006-07, CUL acquired more than 120,000 new volumes.

Subject Strengths

The Library has long been known for its nationally prominent collections in Southeast Asia studies, industrial relations, viticulture, and Old Norse and Icelandic materials, as well as for solid research-level collections in agriculture, astronomy, chemistry, classics, French history and literature, human development, mathematics, medieval studies, microbiology, North European language and literature, physics, and western European social sciences. The Library’s material and digital collections are administered by approximately 50 subject librarians.

Digital Collections

A leader in digital library research and development since the early 1990’s, CUL is building collections with local and global partners as well as licensing access to a rapidly expanding collection of electronic resources in all fields of scholarship. We have extensive holdings of electronic journals, books, primary texts of various kinds, digital images of fine artworks from around the globe, statistical data files and hundreds of indexes, abstracts and search tools.

Rare Book & Manuscript Collections

Cornell University’s rare book and manuscript collections date from the founding of the University in 1865. Andrew Dickson White, Cornell's co-founder and first president, was a life-long book collector who believed that deep collections of primary resources are central to scholarship and teaching. These founding ideas continue to guide Cornell's collection building policies to this day. Collections of rare materials can be found in the Kroch, Catherwood, Law, and Mann libraries.

Giving

Unrestricted gifts, no matter what the amount, help support every facet of Cornell University Library operations -- from enriching our holdings and expanding our resources, to preserving our collections, to improving our services with advanced technology. Find out more about Giving Opportunities.