The University Library, located in the Eli M. Oboler Library building, contains major collections of books, maps, microforms, periodicals and government publications and provides a full range of services to students and staff.
The book collection of approximately 360,000 volumes is accessed via an on-line catalog which is linked to an automated circulation system. The library subscribes to some 3,400 periodicals and serials and has periodical backfiles totalling 60,000 volumes. The government publications collection comprises over 400,000 items. ISU has been a depository for federal publications since 1908 and for Idaho state publications since 1972. The government publications department contains a collection of more than 1,500,000 items published in microform.
In addition to supplying informational materials from its own collections, the library provides an interlibrary loan facility which is equipped to locate and deliver books and periodical articles from other libraries' holdings. Utilizing Fax transmission as well as postal services, the interlibrary loan service handles over 6,000 transactions each year.
An integral part of library service is the provision of reference and research assistance to patrons. General reference service is provided at the reference desk and is available during most hours that the library is open. Those patrons exploring the periodical and government document collections can utilize a wide range of paper and CD-ROM indexes and may obtain librarian-assisted access to on-line databases. Library instruction is available to classes and student groups and is tailored to address students' specific needs, from general library orientation to subject-specific bibliographic research.