Facts & Figures
Collections (FY20)
- Volumes held: 1,803,425
- Books purchased annually: 11,968
- Issues and Bound issues added: 11,150
- E-books in collection: 3,317,741
- Electronic journals: 248,373
- Microfilm: 2,837
- DVDs: 9,128
- Video cassettes: 5,927
- Sound recordings: 10,421
- General Collection: 23 miles of books
- Manuscripts & archives: 23,758.15 linear ft.
- Maps: 6,457
Materials range in date from 1475 to the present, representing 118 languages
Collection strengths: biological and physical sciences and technology
Annual Statistics (FY20)
- Library building visitors: 1,322,730
- Items circulated: 58,266
- Items used in-house: 2,047
- Items on e-reserve: 439 courses, 1,478 electronic files/links
- Number of hard copy items (books, dvd's instructor copies): 672
- Number of streaming videos: 791
- Number of students served: 21,380
- Items lent to other institutions: 13,943
- Items borrowed from other institutions: 9,526
- Seats for patrons: 2,594 (w/ branches)
- Employees (full-time equivalents): 10 Faculty, 26 Academic Librarians,
80 full time professional and support staff
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, 1997-2014
- Joyce C. Garnett, Interim Dean, 2014-2015
- Beth McNeil, 2015-2019
- Hilary Seo, Interim Dean, 2019-
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
- Topel and Cheng Art Collection: Chinese jades, hard stones, and scrolls
ISU Library Facilities
Parks Library
- Size: 325,488 gross sq. ft.
- Original building: 1925; Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson Architects
- Addition I: 1961; Brooks-Borg Architects
- Addition II: 1969; Brooks-Borg Architects
- Addition III: 1983; Charles Herbert and Associates
Dedicated to William Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks in 1984
Branch Libraries
- Design Reading Room, 111 College of Design: 3,096 sq. ft.
- Veterinary Medical Library, 2280 Vet Med: 6,631 sq. ft.
- Storage Building: 16,500 gross sq. ft.
- e-Library: opened March 2001