University of South Carolina
University Libraries
The library resources of the University of South Carolina are housed primarily in the Thomas Cooper
Library, the Coleman Karesh Law Library of the School of Law, and the School of Medicine Library. The
University of South Carolina holds membership in the Association of Research Libraries.
University Libraries
The components of the University Libraries that are located on the Columbia campus are Thomas
Cooper Library, Business Administration Library, Mathematics Library, Music Library, and South
Caroliniana Library.
The Thomas Cooper Library is a seven-story structure near the geographic center of campus. The library
seats 2,400 people; contains more than 3 million volumes, 4 million microfilms, 1 million manuscripts,
300,000 maps, and 944,000 government documents; and houses the University's special collections. The
library contains a Student Computer Lab, with over 200 IBM and Macintosh networked workstations,
900 locked faculty and graduate student study carrels, and 40 group study rooms.
The staff of the Thomas Cooper Library and its affiliated libraries is composed of 164 full-time and
4 part-time employees and supplemented by approximately 100 student assistants. Sixty-two of the
full-time staff are librarians holding faculty positions with appropriate degrees in library science
from accredited library schools.
University Libraries hold membership in the Southeastern Library Network, which provides online
automated cataloging services and interlibrary lending. Other automated services include an online
catalog (Innovative Interfaces), online circulation system (Innovative Interfaces), online
acquisitions system (Innovative Interfaces), a CD-ROM network, and online reference service from a
variety of vendors. The online catalog is available from off-campus locations.
Coleman Karesh Law Library
The Coleman Karesh Law Library, the largest law library in the state of South Carolina,
is located in the Law Center. The Law Library is an integral part of the School of Law, reporting
administratively to the Dean of the Law School. In addition to supporting the research and study
of the University's law students and law faculty, the Law Library serves the legal research needs
of other University students and faculty and the state's legal community and public.
The four-story facility houses a collection of over 300,000 volumes. The focus of the collection
is primary and secondary American Law materials, but includes a growing collection of international
law materials. The Law Library provides seating for over 600 researchers, including carrels,
study rooms, and open table seating.
The Law Library staff consists of 15 full-time employees and 5 FTE of temporary and student employees.
The seven librarians of the Law Library staff hold graduate degrees in library science. Four of the
librarians also have legal training. The librarians, with the exception of the director of the Law
Library, are members of the Law Library faculty. The director of the Law Library is a member of the
Law School faculty.
The Law Library holds membership in the Southeastern Library Network for
cataloging and interlibrary loan. The Law Library also participates in the University's automated
Innovative Interfaces system, utilizing the online catalog, acquisitions, and circulation modules.
School of Medicine Library
The School of Medicine Library is located approximately
four miles from the main campus. It is an integral part of the School of Medicine, which is adjacent
to the Veterans Administration Hospital on Garners Ferry Road. In addition to serving the School of
Medicine, the Medical Library is an information resource for health care practitioners throughout the
state.
The School of Medicine Library contains over 95,000 volumes of highly specialized material
relating to medicine and subscribes to over 1,200 periodicals.
The Library staff is composed of 17 full-time employees, seven of whom are librarians who hold faculty
positions and possess appropriate graduate degrees in library science. The Medical Library faculty are tenure-
track members of the School of Medicine faculty.
The School of Medicine Library holds membership in the Southeastern Library Network for cataloging and
interlibrary loan. The Medical Library participates in the University's automated Innovative Interfaces
system.
Combined holdings for the University Libraries, the Coleman Karesh Law
Library, and the School of Medicine Library:
|
Holdings |
FY 04 |
FY 05 |
FY 06 |
FY 07 |
FY 08 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Volumes |
3,436,445 |
3,498,445 |
3,560,258 |
3,579,504 |
3,884,645 |
|
Microforms |
5,108,721 |
5,116,024 |
5,143,017 |
5,306,418 |
5,357,428 |
|
Periodical Titles |
24,152 |
23,740 |
53,610 |
51,540 |
63,715 |
|
US Documents |
915,996 |
926,650 |
926,650 |
937,420 |
944,768 |
|
Maps |
315,585 |
313,495 |
313,495 |
323,412 |
323,474 |
|
Graphic Units |
250,000 |
250,000 |
250,000 |
250,071 |
250,090 |
|
Audio Units |
35,149 |
34,815 |
35,989 |
38,431 |
38,412 |
|
Film/Video Units |
13,913 |
13,000 |
14,414 |
17,209 |
17,486 |
|
Cartographic Units |
320,000 |
313,400 |
320,374 |
321,570 |
323,474 |
| E-books |
- |
- |
556 |
6,618 |
96,766 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Circulation |
1,016,408 |
996,721 |
386,801 |
583,206 |
301,406 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inter-Library Loan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowed |
20,166 |
19,650 |
16,494 |
18,103 |
18,538 |
|
Loaned |
26,061 |
21,500 |
18,908 |
19,481 |
19,696 |
|
Total |
46,227 |
41,150 |
35,402 |
37,584 |
38,234 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reference Questions |
171,063 |
174,800 |
166,400 |
134,540 |
148,446 |