Facts & figures

Location & contact information

University Library
Corner of Osborn Dr. & Morrill Rd.
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-2140

General phone: 515 294-3642; 
General fax: 515 294-5525

Collections (FY12)

• Volumes held: 2,937,529
• Books purchased annually: 21,429
• Journals received annually: 100,528
• Electronic journals: 84,435
• Microform units: 3,534,580
• Photographs & slides: 999,651
• Films and videos: 35,044
• Audio materials: 19,098
• General Collection: 27.1 miles of books
• Manuscripts & archives: 20,017 linear ft.
• Aerial photos & maps: 99,325

Materials range in date from 1475 to the present, representing 118 languages

Collection strengths: biological and physical sciences and technology

Annual Statistics (FY12)

• Library building visitors: 1,875,348
• Items circulated: 122,216
• Items used in-house: 52,339
• Items lent to other institutions: 26,185
• Items borrowed from other institutions: 12,151
• Seats for patrons: 2,549 (w/ branches)
• Employees (full-time equivalents): 43 faculty, 76 support staff, 23 students, 142 total

History of the Library

History

• Library located in Old Main: 1868-1891
• Library located in Morrill Hall: 1891-1914
• Library located in Beardshear Hall: 1914-1925
• Construction of original Library building: 1925
• Library Instruction dating from 1891
• Library of Congress classification used since 1925

Librarians, Directors, and Deans

• J. C. Arthur, 1878-1879
• J. K. Macomber, 1879-1883
• Mary McDonald, 1883-1885
• Ida M. Riley, 1886-1888
• Cora Marsland, 1889-1890
• Fanny Thomas, 1890-1893
• Flora Wilson, 1894-1897
• Vina E. Clark, 1897-1916
• Vera Dixon, 1916-1920
• Gladys M. Rush, 1920-1922
• Charles H. Brown, 1922-1946
• Robert W. Orr, 1946-1967
• Warren B. Kuhn, 1967-1989
• Nancy Eaton, 1989-1997
• Olivia M. A. Madison, 1997-

Art in Parks Library

Murals

• Kurt Anderson mural: Prairie Sky
• Doug Shelton mural: Unlimited Possibilities
• Grant Wood murals: When Tillage Begins, Agricultural Panel, Home Economics Panel, Engineering Panel
• Sticks mural: What We Love About Iowa State

Portraits

• Dr. and Mrs. Parks Portraits
• Portraits of Iowa State Presidents

Sculptures

• Christian Petersen sculptures: Boy and Girl, Old Woman in Prayer
• Stephen DeStaebler sculpture: Left-sided Angel
• Nina Ward sculpture: On Shoulders of Giants

Other Art

• Judith Lazelere banner
• Nellie Walker bas reliefs
• Printers' Marks bas reliefs
• Henry Chapman Mercer fireplace tiles

ISU Library Facilities

Parks Library

• Size: 325,488 gross sq. ft.
• Original building: 1925
• Addition I: 1961
• Addition II: 1969
• Addition III: 1983

Dedicated to William Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks in 1984

e-Library

• Opened March 2001
• e-Reserve (Fall 2012): 226 courses, 806 electronic files/links

Branch Libraries

• Design Reading Room, 111 College of Design: 3,096 sq. ft.
• Mathematics Reading Room, 409 Carver Hall: 552 sq. ft.
• Veterinary Medical Library, 2280 Vet Med: 6,631 sq. ft.
• Storage Building: 16,500 gross sq. ft.