There are Libraries and then There are Libraries . . .
Mary J. Stanley, Associate Dean
IUPUI University Library
Master of Library Science, IUPUI (1984)
Miriam Ann Murphy, Associate Director
Indiana University School of Law Library
J.D. Indiana University (1985)
Master of Library Science, Indiana University (1987)
IUPUI University Library
Recently in a student focus group, we asked the students about their past experiences with libraries. It was refreshing to hear from the majority of them that they had pleasant memories of their library experiences and from most it was a public library near their home. Once you step upon the campus of IUPUI, you have a variety of libraries to choose from at your fingertips, or should I say, footsteps.
Serving as the centerpiece for the IUPUI library system, University Library provides academic and community patrons with multiple study and learning spaces. The five-story facility houses hundreds of study carrels, group study rooms, multimedia classrooms, and a 100-seat auditorium. The library is one of the most technologically sophisticated library/high technology centers on the North American continent. Hosting over 300 scholar's computer workstations, the library patron may access academic reference and research tools, application software, course reserves, live news/educational television and videotapes, and the Internet.
The Ruth Lilly Medical Library
The Ruth Lilly Medical Library provides information to the school's faculty, students, and staff throughout the State. The library also serves the faculty students and staff of the Indiana University School of Nursing and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Additionally, the library serves all other personnel in the Indiana University Medical Center as well as practicing Indiana health professionals.
The library collection focuses on authoritative literature in biomedical research and clinical practice. Established in 1908, the Ruth Lilly Medical Library contains more than 245,000 volumes, with current subscriptions to approximately 1,900 journals. The Indiana University Medical Library Special Collections emphasizes the practice of 19th century medicine in Indiana and other Midwestern states.
The physical facility houses the largest medical book and journal collection in the state, and has over 50 computer workstations plus a growing electronic collection of databases, books, and journals.
The Ruth Lilly Law Library
An integral part of the teaching and research programs of the law school, the Ruth Lilly Law Library provides a dynamic research and study environment for the entire law school community. Research resources are extensive with a collection of over 580,000 volumes in print, microform, and other media. The library includes two computer labs with both wired and wireless computer connections throughout the facility.
The Ruth Lilly Law Library holdings emphasize Anglo-American and international law materials, with particular focus on collections for the programs in health law and bioethics, copyright and human rights. While serving as a depository for both United States and United Nations publications, the library also acquires documents from the European Union, the International Court of Justice and the European Commission on Human Rights.
Indiana University School of Dentistry
The Dental Library, established in 1881 as a faculty library, provides resources and services to support the teaching, research, patient care and community outreach services of the faculty, staff and students of the Indiana University School of Dentistry and serves as a source of dental health information for IU School of Dentistry alumni, Indiana citizens and other dental health professionals.
The Library holds over 57,000 volumes on dentistry as well as the basic sciences and selected medical specialties. It has subscriptions to nearly 600 current print journal titles.
This gives you a brief glimpse of the four main libraries on the IUPUI campus. However, there are a few more that you might find interesting.
Edward A. Block Family Library
Part of the Snyder Family Resource Center and the Riley Hospital for Children, the Block Family Library is an inviting place for families to get away from the stress they may be facing on a daily basis. A collection of books on tape, computer games, puzzles, music CDs, children's magazines, popular books and other reading materials that are age-appropriate are available for the pleasure and entertainment of patients and their family members. In some cases, borrowed resources are used to support children patients who remain engaged in school work.
Special health and medical information at the Block Family Library supplements the ongoing educational efforts of the child's doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. These resources do not replace the medical instruction, advice and other educational services provided by the child's physician.
Graduate students from the IU School of Library and Information Science have served as interns for information services at this library and the other libraries described in this issue of Insight. Over 100 interns are placed across Indiana each year.
Morrison Ophthalmological Library
The Morrison Ophthalmological Library serves the faculty, residents, and fellows of the Indiana University Department of Ophthalmology. Morrison Library is named for the first chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Frank Morrison (1860-1928), who set aside monies to support the library.
Located on the third floor of the Rotary Building on the IU Medical Center campus, the library has 20 current journal subscriptions, approximately 1,000 books, and numerous audio-visual programs. Book and journal holdings of the Morrison Library can be found with the resources of all the Indiana University libraries. The Library does provide free literature searches and reference assistance for practicing ophthalmologists in the State of Indiana and the alumni of the IU Department of Ophthalmology.
The Morrison Ophthalmological Library contains professional-level material only and, regrettably, is unable to assist the general public with eye-related questions.
The Herron Art Library
Collections that Provide a Gateway to Learning
"The new kid on the block" for the IUPUI Library System is the Herron Art Library. Established in 1909, this library is part of the new Herron School of Art Building that opened in 2005 on the IUPUI campus. The library houses nearly 200,000 books, slides and multimedia items plus digital image collections.
In addition to serving the students and faculty at IUPUI, the library is closely tied to the local cultural and educational communities. The Herron Art Library provides information and visual resource services to many area metropolitan K-12 teachers. Users have access to not only items housed in the library but also to a growing number of digital images available through the library's digitized collection.
Special Collection
Although in the early stages of development, the Herron Art Library offers a fine selection of artists' books. This remarkable collection of fine press and book arts is searchable online through the web-based catalog. This collection is often the basis for special displays across the IUPUI campus. The Special Collections materials include artist books by significant contemporary artists such as Julie Chen and Jenny Holzer.
Article reprinted with permission from the author and Indiana Insight, a publication of IUPUI.
