William F. Ekstrom Library, Academic library at University of Louisville, United States.
William F. Ekstrom Library is an academic library on the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus with approximately 230,000 square feet of space. It houses over 2.2 million print volumes and 74,000 electronic journals covering humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
The collection originated from John Letcher Patterson's personal collection in the early 1900s and had grown to about 36,000 books by 1950. The building opened in 1981 and underwent significant expansion to accommodate the university's growing academic needs.
The library houses specialized collections focused on African American history and the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice. These collections reflect how the facility serves as a space for exploring social justice and cultural topics beyond academic study.
The library is accessible to university visitors and provides workspaces along with extensive digital and print resources. It is advisable to check current access requirements and hours before visiting, as these may vary depending on the academic calendar.
The facility features an automated storage and retrieval system that has been in use since 2006 to manage its large collection. This robotic system enables faster access to materials and represents an innovative approach to handling such vast quantities of publications.
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