Facts
The Northern Illinois University Libraries system consists of Founders Memorial Library (main library), and two branch libraries -- Faraday Library, and the Music Library. The Regional History Center/University Archives are located in Founders Memorial Library. The University Libraries contain over 2 million volumes as well as periodicals, government publications, microforms, maps, recordings, audiovisual materials, and electronic databases. The University Libraries serves the students, faculty and staff of NIU and is open to the public.
Founders Memorial Library
Founders Memorial Library, the main library, has six levels with 314,000 square feet of space and seating capacity for 1600 students. The first floor houses key library services including the circulation desk, the Research Help Desk, services to students with disabilities, library instruction, the information desk, document delivery services, the reserves collection, periodicals collection, and the newspaper reading room. Microforms and government publications are located on the second floor; rare books, special collections, and the Southeast Asia collection are on the fourth floor. The upper three floors house circulating books and nonprint materials.
Faraday Library and Music Library
Faraday Library serves faculty and students in the disciplines of chemistry and physics. Similarly, the Music Library serves the music curriculum. Regular, interim, and holiday hours are posted near the entrance to each library and on the University Libraries Building Hours calendar.
Identifying Research Materials
NIU Libraries are participants in the I-Share Online Catalog System, a service of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI). With accessing the online catalog, users may immediately determine if NIU owns the desired research materials. Materials not owned by NIU can be obtained quickly from other I-Share member libraries.
Assistance in Using the Collection Services
Assistance in using the Libraries' collections is available at the first floor Research Help Desk and other service sites throughout Founders Memorial Library and the branch libraries. Instruction in the use of the library is given to classes by librarians as part of the University Libraries library instruction program. Library instruction covers both basic library orientation and, for upper level classes, in-depth instruction related to materials in particular subject areas.
NIU Outreach Centers Services
Online library resources and interlibrary loan service are available to students, faculty, and staff at the NIU Outreach Centers in Naperville, and Rockford. Please see the NIU Academic Center Locations for more information.
Locations
Founders Memorial Library Floor Maps