University of Houston Libraries
Encyclopedia
The University of Houston Libraries is an academic library
system of the University of Houston
(UH) serving students, faculty, and the general public. The main general collection library of the system is the M.D. Anderson Library. The system has three other branches—all of them existing on-campus at UH. Two additional libraries, the Conrad N. Hilton Library and Archives and the John O'Quinn Law Library, are managed and maintained by their home colleges. Through a collaboration between libraries, students and faculty of and have the ability to check out circulating volumes.
. At the request of Wikoff, President Edison Oberholtzer relocated the library to its own space by converting the high school's music room.
After Houston Junior College became the University of Houston in 1934, and moved to its current location in 1939, the library was housed in the Roy G. Cullen building; UH's first permanent building. Although originally having only three staff members, the library continued to grow by continually annexing more rooms in the building. In 1940, the library had over 12,200 volumes, and by 1951, the library had 50,000. This same year, the library, with several benefactors' help and the M.D. Anderson Foundation, was able to build the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library as a new location. Hugh Roy Cullen
and Leopold Meyer donated enough money to add 6,000 more volumes to the library before it was moved into the new building. Four years later, the library's volumes reached 145,000, and expenditures were $200,000.
The university then expanded the library services by creating the University of Houston Libraries system. The Weston A. Pettey Optometry Library began as a reading room in 1952 when the College of Optometry
opened. In 1967, the Pharmacy Library was established in the Lamar Fleming building on-campus to primarily serve the university's College of Pharmacy
.. However, in 2010, the Pharmacy library was closed and its collections integrated in the main library to allow the College of Pharmacy to reclaim the space. Today, there are six branches.
In 1968, an eight-story tower was added to M.D. Anderson Library, and the Brown wing of the library was added in 1977. The most substantial changes to M.D. Anderson Library took place in 2004 when a new wing was added. The new wing was built as a front entrance to the library, along with the John O'Quinn Atrium, and a 24-hour lounge area. The university hired James Sanborn
, of Kryptos
fame, to build a sculpture for the library. The sculpture, entitled A,A
, was erected in front of the library in June 2004.
Academic library
An academic library is a library that is attached to academic institutions above the secondary level, serving the teaching and research needs of students and staff...
system of the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
(UH) serving students, faculty, and the general public. The main general collection library of the system is the M.D. Anderson Library. The system has three other branches—all of them existing on-campus at UH. Two additional libraries, the Conrad N. Hilton Library and Archives and the John O'Quinn Law Library, are managed and maintained by their home colleges. Through a collaboration between libraries, students and faculty of and have the ability to check out circulating volumes.
Member libraries
Each individual library serves as a home to certain specialty collections of the university libraries. The following is a list of libraries on the University of Houston campus:- Conrad N. Hilton Library & Archives
- John O'Quinn Law Library
- M.D. Anderson Library (main library)
- Music Library
- Pharmacy Library (Now closed and integrated with the main library)
- Weston A. Pettey Optometry Library
- William R. Jenkins Architecture & Art Library
History
The original library of the University of Houston was established in 1927 when the school was known as Houston Junior College. With 1,988 volumes, the library was housed as a section of the San Jacinto High School library, where the college shared building space. Ruth Wikoff was the school's first professional librarianLibrarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
. At the request of Wikoff, President Edison Oberholtzer relocated the library to its own space by converting the high school's music room.
Hugh Roy Cullen
Hugh Roy Cullen was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Cullen was heavily involved in the petroleum industry, was a large supporter of the University of Houston, and longtime chairman of the board of regents for the university...
and Leopold Meyer donated enough money to add 6,000 more volumes to the library before it was moved into the new building. Four years later, the library's volumes reached 145,000, and expenditures were $200,000.
The university then expanded the library services by creating the University of Houston Libraries system. The Weston A. Pettey Optometry Library began as a reading room in 1952 when the College of Optometry
University of Houston College of Optometry
The University of Houston College of Optometry or UHCO is one of twelve academic colleges at the University of Houston. The college provides master's level and doctoral degrees in the area of optometry including a Doctor of Optometry degree...
opened. In 1967, the Pharmacy Library was established in the Lamar Fleming building on-campus to primarily serve the university's College of Pharmacy
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
The University of Houston College of Pharmacy is a pharmacy school and also one of twelve academic colleges at the University of Houston. It offers a professional program leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. In addition, the school also offer a Doctor of Philosophy degree as well as a joint...
.. However, in 2010, the Pharmacy library was closed and its collections integrated in the main library to allow the College of Pharmacy to reclaim the space. Today, there are six branches.
In 1968, an eight-story tower was added to M.D. Anderson Library, and the Brown wing of the library was added in 1977. The most substantial changes to M.D. Anderson Library took place in 2004 when a new wing was added. The new wing was built as a front entrance to the library, along with the John O'Quinn Atrium, and a 24-hour lounge area. The university hired James Sanborn
James Sanborn
Jim Sanborn is an American sculptor. He is best known for creating the encrypted Kryptos sculpture at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.-Biography:...
, of Kryptos
Kryptos
Kryptos is an encrypted sculpture by American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Virginia. Since its dedication on November 3, 1990, there has been much speculation about the meaning of the encrypted messages it bears...
fame, to build a sculpture for the library. The sculpture, entitled A,A
A,A
The A,A is a sculpture by artist Jim Sanborn, located on the campus of the University of Houston.-Artist:Jim Sanborn was born in 1945 in Washington, D.C. He grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and attended JEB Stuart High School in Fairfax, Virginia where he studied archaeology and Romanesque cathedrals...
, was erected in front of the library in June 2004.