Tufts University Libraries

The library system of Tufts University (Tufts Libraries) covers all academic departments comprising the university. The library is centered around Tisch library which holds about 2.5 million volumes, with other holdings dispersed at subject libraries.

Tufts' library was established in 1850 with a gift of seven volumes, three years before classes began. The collection moved from building to building on the academic quad until in 1908, Tufts' first library building, Eaton Memorial Library (now Eaton Hall), was made possible with a donation from Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie's wife requested that the building be named after a Tufts graduate, Reverend Charles Eaton, who had presided over her wedding. The building received an extension in 1950 with the construction of the War Memorial Library in honor of the Tufts alumni who served in World War II. By 1965 the collection outgrew the building and was moved to a new library named Wessell Library. Additionally the demand for more square footage prompted the expansion of Wessell. In 1995, with the addition of 80,000 more square feet, the library was renamed Tisch Library.^[1]

In addition to the main library, there are a few smaller libraries that serve specialized fields: Edward Ginn and Hirsch Health Sciences. The Edward Ginn Library provides collections and services for the Fletcher School. It is one of the largest specialized libraries in the field of international affairs. The collection holds over 120,000 volumes.^[2] The Hirsch Health Sciences Library provides resources for the Medical School, and Dental School. The library has been operating since the 1960s and was rededicated in Chinatown, Boston near the Tufts Medical Center.^[3]

List of Tufts Libraries

• Digital Collections and Archives
• Edward Ginn Library
• Hirsch Health Sciences Library
• William Morris Hunt Library (MFA)
• Lilly Music Library
• Tisch Library
• W. Van Allan Clark, Jr. Library
• Webster Family Library

References