The UW-Madison Libraries has the 11th largest research library collection in North America, according to a survey by the Association of Research Libraries. Memorial Library, the largest library in Wisconsin, and more than 40 General Library System, professional and special-purpose libraries serve the campus. In 2004, the campus library collections included more than 7.3 million volumes representing human inquiry through all of history. In addition, there are more than 55,000 serial titles, 6.2 million microfilm items, and hundreds of thousands of government documents, maps, musical scores, audiovisual materials and other items housed in libraries across campus. Nearly 1 million volumes are circulated to library users every year. The UW libraries also emphasize service. Library staff take an active interest in teaching people how to use information resources. Nearly 27,000 students, staff and faculty attend library workshops and instructional programs each year. These instructional sessions include tours and hands-on classes about how to use the computer catalog and how to find specialized information.

Sub-communities within this community

Collections in this community

Recent Submissions

  • Oral History Interview, Nancy & Merrily Stover (1893) 

    Stover, Nancy; Stover, Merrily (2019-08-12)
    In this interview, Nancy and Merrily Stover talk about their time living in UW’s Tent Colony, a summer housing project on Picnic Point. They spoke of the time period from the early 1950s through the early 1960s and the ...
  • Oral History Interview, Merrily & Phil Stover (1900) 

    Stover, Merrily; Stover, Phil (2019-08-12)
    In this interview, Merrily and Phil Stover talk about their time living in UW’s Tent Colony, a summer housing project on Picnic Point. They spoke of the time period from the early 1950s through the early 1960s and the ...
  • Oral History Interview, Doug Moe (1861) 

    Moe, Doug (2019-06-11)
    Doug Moe talked with interviewer Troy Reeves about his time as an undergraduate at UW-Madison and his writing career. This interview was conducted to be part of UW-Madison Archives' oral history collection.
  • Oral History Interview, John Rieger, John Stanley, and Bill Jordan (2204) 

    Rieger, John; Stanley, John; Jordan, Bill (2022-11-15)
    In their interview with Dave Egan on November 15, 2022, naturalists John Rieger, John Stanley, and Bill Jordan detail how they wound up working together at the Society for Restoration Ecology (SER) and how the concept of ...
  • Oral History Interview, William Whitney (2206) 

    Whitney, William (2020-10-06)
    In his October 6th, 2020 interview with Dave Egan, Bill Whitney talks about his background and career in ecological restoration as part of a series of interviews with ecological restoration pioneers. He discusses coming ...
  • Oral History Interview, Jim Vosmek (2218) 

    Vosmek, Jim (2023-01-12)
    In his oral history interview with Troy Reeves, Jim Vosmek talked about his experience on campus as an undergraduate during the 1960s and 1970s. Vosmek discussed the following topics: the glee club, student council, notable ...
  • Oral History Interview, Bill Rauwerdink (2219) 

    Rauwerdink, Bill (2023-01-05)
    In his oral history interview with Troy Reeves, Bill Rauwerdink talked about his experience on campus as an undergraduate during the 1960s and 1970s. Rauwerdink discussed the following topics: why UW; paying for college; ...
  • Oral History Interview, Michael Stark (1851) 

    Stark, Michael (2019-03-05)
    Michael "Mike" Stark attended UW-Madison and graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's in landscape architecture. Stark worked on the Allen Centennial Garden Board before it opened in 1989. Stark has worked on various landscape ...
  • Oral History Interview, Stephanie Marquis (1680) 

    Marquis, Stephanie (2017-12-06)
    In her 2017 interview with Kristen Whitson, Stephanie Marquis details her career path and current position as Director of Communications - University Relations for the University of Wisconsin System. In this oral history, ...
  • Oral History Interview, Patrick Quinn (1933) 

    Quinn, Patrick (2019-12-09)
    As part of the Class Reunion Project Avery Pilot interviewed Patrick Quinn, alumnus of UW Madison (class of 1964) about his active involvement in the on-campus anti war movement. Patrick discussed his activities in Madison, ...
  • Oral History Interview, Jim Russell (1930) 

    Russell, Jim (2019-12-02)
    In his December 2019 interview with Avery Pilot, Jim Russell detailed his thoughts and memories as an undergraduate and Sociology graduate student on the UW-Madison campus during the late 1960s’ anti-Vietnam War protest ...
  • Oral History Interview, Dave Zweifel (1922) 

    Zweifel, Dave (2019-10-28)
    In his October 2019 interview with Avery Pilot, Capital Times Editor Emeritus Dave Zweifel detailed his thoughts and memories as a member of both the Capital Times newspaper and the Wisconsin National Guard during the ...
  • Oral History Interview, Roger Bullis (1921) 

    Bullis, Roger (2019-09-23)
    In his September 2019 interview with Avery Pilot, Roger Bullis detailed his thoughts and memories as a student and Army Reserves member on the UW-Madison campus during the late 1960s’ anti-Vietnam War protest movement on ...
  • Oral History Interview, Ross Allen (1901) 

    Allen, Ross (2017-11-17)
    Ross Allen grew up in Winneconne, WI and worked on his family's hog and vegetable farm throughout his childhood. Ross went to college not only to get a higher education but to get out of farming. In his interview, Ross ...
  • Oral History Interview, Gail Hirn (1822) 

    Hirn, Gail (2018-09-04)
    In her 2018 interview with Pat Calchina, Gail Hirn details her life In Madison, Wisconsin. She spoke of the time from 1967 to the present and of the following topics: lesbianism, living in UW dormitories, coming out as a ...
  • Oral History Interview, James Benes (1753) 

    Benes, James (2018-07-11)
    In his oral history interview with Stephanie Hoff in July of 2018, Jim Benes talks about his life leading up to his career in computer science, his time working with the Electronic Farm Records program in the Department ...
  • Oral History Interview, David Williams (1672) 

    Williams, David (2017-11-29)
    In his November 2017 interview with Troy Reeves, David Williams detailed his thoughts and memories as an undergraduate student on the UW-Madison campus during the anti-Vietnam War protests starting in 1968. Williams spoke ...
  • Oral History Interview, Ruth Olson (1630) 

    Olson, Ruth (2017-09-28)
    Folklorist Ruth Olson has taught at UW Madison since 1996. She has been involved with many projects on and off campus pertaining to public folklore and ethnography. Her interview highlights the importance of folklore to ...
  • Oral History Interview, Hannah DePorter (1629) 

    DePorter, Hannah (2017-09-21)
    Hannah DePorter is a UW-Madison student and the administrative director for the student organization, FH King. In the interview, she discusses how her involvement in FH King affected her future. She also talks about what ...
  • Oral History Interview, Raymond Dahl (1602) 

    Dahl, Raymond (2017-04-26)
    In his April 2017 interview with Stephanie Hoff, Raymond (Ray) Dahl shared his life from beginning to current on Wisconsin farms. He was born on a farm, loved agriculture, worked on farms in his teenage years, and bought ...

View more