Support the Library

Grainger Engineering Library, Great Hall

The Library is essential to the intellectual vitality of the University and attracts talented students, faculty, and scholars to the Urbana-Champaign campus. With more than 15 million volumes, it is one of the world’s great research libraries and renowned for the depth and breadth of its collections. The Library is central to the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service, and it is the one campus unit that serves all academic disciplines.

As the Library adapts to meet new challenges, private support is more important than ever before. The library of today offers innovative methods for teaching, research, and learning, and it provides immediate and easy access to its collections and services.

The contributions of Friends help the Library acquire new resources, preserve existing materials, and keep pace with cutting-edge technologies that offer multiple formats and improved access to information.

Library Fact

Books are Stored Outside the Library too

Oak Street High Density Storage at the Oak Street Library Facility provides remote storage for less-used Library materials, as well as materials that require ideal preservation conditions. It currently houses 4 million items (items are shelved strategically to ensure the least amount of storage space is wasted) in a climate-controlled environment kept at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 30% relative humidity to maintain the structural integrity of print resources.