About the Library

Description of the Collection

The Library houses a collection of over 247,000 volumes, 7,200 audio visual titles, over 600,000 electronic books, and maintains subscriptions to  over 5,000 periodicals. In addition, the Library offers access to over 330 databases; all are available remotely to UW-P faculty, staff, and students.

Special library collections include rare books, periodicals, first editions, art books, collections of works by noted local authors including Irving Wallace and David Kherdian, and a collection of 18th and 19th century British and American plays collected by the late H. O. Teisberg.

Collection Development Procedures

The responsibility for the selection of library materials is shared jointly by librarians and faculty. Each department has a librarian who acts as liaison to coordinate acquisitions for that department. The liaison is available to help identify materials in various formats for possible purchase.

New books and A/V materials can be requested by filling out the Suggest a Purchase form. The requestor will be notified when items are ready to circulate. Contact your liaison to discuss requests for new periodical subscriptions.

New books are normally sent to the new book shelf for four weeks. If a requestor wishes to have the book held for him/her after processing, please check the corresponding box on the web form. The book will then be held for one week at the Check-out Desk under the requestor's name. If it is not picked up in within 7 days, it will be taken off the hold shelf.