About the University Libraries
We are proud to support students, faculty, staff, Coloradans and visiting scholars by providing essential scholarly resources, user-centered services and inclusive and welcoming spaces.
Our collections, the largest in the Rocky Mountain region, include 11+ million volumes and access to thousands of specialized research databases. Our five library locations (see maps & floor plans) offer a variety of spaces and services to support our community.
We are affiliated with the best research libraries in the country. Our memberships include HathiTrust, the Academic Preservation Trust, FOLIO, the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, the Association of Research Libraries and the Center for Research Libraries.
Our people are at the heart of everything we do.
The University Libraries’ faculty and staff (view our directory and organizational chart [PDF]) are committed to serving undergraduate and graduate students and collaborating with teaching faculty colleagues in all degree programs across our campus and the CU system. Our faculty, both tenure-stream and teaching professor-stream, participate in University of Colorado faculty governance. We offer a number of competitive positions with the goal of furthering our mission and values.
By the numbers
11+ million volumes
$15,600,000 collections budget
175 student employees
The 'timeless fellowship'
The history of the University Libraries began in a single room in Old Main in September 1877. Norlin Library opened in January 1940; additions and renovations have continued over the years. Most recently, we renovated our west reading room.
Today, we are committed to providing inspiring physical spaces that connect, empower and delight all who enter through innovative services such as the Multimedia Equipment Lending Library and the Norlin Mindfulness Room.
Norlin Library under construction in 1939. University of Colorado Museum of Natural History collection, Box 3, Folder 2, item 12.
Our commitment
The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries affirm diversity and inclusive excellence to be vitally integral to our mission and vision.
We strive to model this in recruitment and retention, building collections, and offering services and spaces to develop a receptive social, intellectual, and physical environment for all.
Read our full commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence.
Living our values
We support open access, open data and open educational initiatives.
Funding for Open Access publishing
Open Educational Resources support
Leading in equitable information production, discovery and access
Dean Robert McDonald on open access
The University Libraries are here to support students, wherever they are on their educational journey.
Through our user-centered services and community programming such as Buffs OneRead, we empower CU Boulder students to discover, access, create and share knowledge. Our academic support includes both virtual and in-person research and assignment assistance through Ask a Librarian and access to course reserve materials free-of-charge to students.
University Libraries’ student employees are critical to our success. The Libraries are one of the largest employers of students on campus. Our positions provide the opportunity to receive onsite training and resume building job skills while maintaining work schedules flexible with course schedules. Learn more about Libraries’ student employment.
