The University Library is composed of two divisional libraries, the Dana Porter Library and the Davis Centre Library; one branch library, the University Map and Design Library; and one reading room, the Optometry Learning Resource Centre.
Building of the library collection was begun in May 1957, with a capital grant of $9,000 to buy materials in science and engineering for what was then called Waterloo College Associate Faculties. Beginning in 1960, library materials in the humanities and social sciences were acquired to support the new Arts Faculty. In June of that year, all library operations of the University of Waterloo and Waterloo College (now Wilfrid Laurier University) were separated, and a staff of 10 moved to the UW campus.
January 1962 marked the housing together of all science and engineering materials in the first Engineering Building on campus. In August 1968, the Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (E.M.S.) Divisional Library moved to the fourth floor of the Mathematics and Computer Building where it was located until September 1987 when it moved to its present location in the William G. Davis Computer Research Centre.
As you enter the Davis Centre Library, the Circulation and Information Desks as well as several banks of TRELLIS terminals are visible. The Davis Centre Library houses parts of the User Services Department, the Library Office and the Information Services and Resources Department, the office of the Head, InterLibrary Loan and Document Delivery, and the office for Industrial and Business Information Services. Seating is provided for 644 readers.
The Davis Centre Library collection currently numbers over 580,000 items including books, microforms, government publications, technical reports, and maps. The Davis Centre Library receives over 2,891 current serials.
The "Arts" Library was located in the Physics Building until 1965 when it moved to its present location. In October 1967, the building was renamed the Dana Porter Arts Library, in honour of the University's first chancellor. It was not until 1970, however, that the top three storeys were added to the building. Until 1975, the building was jointly occupied by the Library and various administrative and academic offices.
The Dana Porter Library is a focal point of the University campus. The lower floors house the main public and collections services departments. Located on the first floor are the Micro area, the Rare Book Room, controlled access materials, currently received newspapers and newspaper backfiles. Behind the scenes are the Office of the Library Facilities Manager and the Shipping and Receiving area. The second (main) floor houses banks of TRELLIS terminals, the Circulation Desk, and behind it the User Services Departmental Offices, the Information Desk, part of the Information Services and Resources Department, the Reference Collection, the Accessibility Centre, and a coffee shop "Browsers." The periodical collection is located on the third floor, as are the Cataloguing Department, the Library Acquisitions Unit, and the InterLibrary Loan and Document Delivery office. The Library Administrative Offices and two meeting rooms are located on the fourth floor. The fifth floor houses the staff of the Systems Department, the Electronic Data Services Office, the government publications librarian's office, and the Library's government publications. Floors 6 through 10 house the circulating book collection and provide seating accommodation for more than 1,054 library users.
The Dana Porter Library collection now numbers over 2,500,000 items, including books, pamphlets, theses, microforms, documents, reports, photonegatives, and other material. This Library receives over 5,703 serials and 43 newspapers.
In 1971, the Library assumed partial responsibility for the administration of the Environmental Studies Library until 1978 when it became the University Map Library. With the change in name there was a corresponding administrative change, with the University Librarian assuming complete responsibility for the operation of the Map Library. In 1981, the Architecture Reading Room was incorporated into the facility which since then has been known as the University Map and Design Library (U.M.D.L.). Located on the main floor of the Environmental Studies I Building, it is the principal centre on campus for the provision of service relating to cartographic and architectural design materials. The U.M.D.L. collection consists of more than 145,000 items including maps, air photographs, books, theses, and periodicals. It provides seating for 56 library users.
The University Library's one reading room is the Optometry Learning Resource Centre which is located in the Optometry Building and houses the Library's collection in the field of optometry.
The first librarian to head the University of Waterloo Library was Mrs. Doris Lewis who, in 1969, relinquished overall responsibility for its operation and was named Collections Development Librarian. Her retirement in 1976 was marked by the dedication of the Doris Lewis Rare Book Room, and the unveiling of a portrait and plaque. Mrs. Lewis was succeeded as University Librarian by William Watson who left the Library in 1972. In 1973 Murray Shepherd assumed the position of University Librarian, the position that he holds today.
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