University of Minnesota Libraries

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}

{{Infobox library

| name = University of Minnesota Libraries

| logo =

| image = Wilson_Library_Minnesota_6.jpg

| caption = Wilson Library, largest in the system

| country = United States

| location =

| type = Academic library

| established = 1851

| num_branches = 12

| collection_size = 7.7 million volumes
119,770 serial subscriptions

| annual_circulation =

| pop_served = 55,931 faculty, staff and students and the state of Minnesota
1.6 million visits

| budget = $41,225,580 annually

| director = Lisa German

| num_employees = 391

| website = {{url|lib.umn.edu}}

}}

The University of Minnesota Libraries is the library system of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, operating at 12 facilities in and around Minneapolis–Saint Paul. It has over 8 million volumes and 119,000 serial titles that are collected, maintained and made accessible.{{cite web | title=University of Minnesota Libraries Facts and Figures | publisher = University of Minnesota | url=http://www.lib.umn.edu/about | date = 2019 | access-date=14 Nov 2020}} The system is the 17th largest academic library in North America{{cite web | title=ARL Statistics 2008–2009 | publisher=Association of Research Libraries, Washington DC | url=http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/arlstat09.pdf | date=2011 | access-date=12 August 2012 | page=74 | archive-date=August 12, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812202442/http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/arlstat09.pdf | url-status=dead }} and the 22nd largest library in the United States.{{cite web | title=The Nation's Largest Libraries: A Listing by Volumes Held | publisher = American Library Association, Chicago | url=http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet22 | date = 2019 | access-date=14 Nov 2020}} While the system's primary mission is to serve faculty, staff and students, because the university is a public institution of higher education its libraries are also open to the public.

The Libraries hold a variety of notable, specialized and unusual collections. Examples include the world's largest assembly of materials on Sherlock Holmes and his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle;{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Baenen |title=Investigate Sherlock Holmes in Minnesota |url=http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Investigate-Sherlock-Holmes-in-Minnesota-3205880.php |location = San Francisco |work=The San Francisco Chronicle |date=18 December 2009| access-date=12 August 2012}}{{cite news |first=Sarah |last=Lemanczyk |title=Sherlock's Archive|url=http://www.studio360.org/2011/dec/23/sherlocks-archive/ |work=Studio 360 |date=21 December 2011| access-date=15 August 2012}} the Kerlan Collection of over 100,000 children's books;{{cite journal |author=Karen Nelson Hoyle|s2cid=144666744|title=The Kerlan Collection|journal=Children's Literature Association Quarterly|volume=3|issue=1–2|pages=13|date=November 1978|doi=10.1353/chq.0.0642

}} the Hess Collection, one of North America's largest collections of dime novels, story papers and pulp fiction;{{cite web | title=The Hess Collection | publisher = University of Minnesota | url=http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/hess/index.php | date = 2008 | access-date=12 August 2012}}{{cite web | title=Stanford's Holdings and Other Major Dime Novel Collections | publisher = Stanford University | url=http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/dp/pennies/collection.html | date = 2012 | access-date=12 August 2012}} the James Ford Bell Library of rare maps, books and manuscripts,{{cite web | title = James Ford Bell Library | url = https://www.lib.umn.edu/bell | date = 2010 | publisher = University of Minnesota | access-date = 12 August 2012 }} and the seventh largest law library in the United States, including over 1 million volumes and personal papers such as those of Clarence Darrow.{{cite web | title=Law School Profile | publisher = University of Minnesota | url=http://www.law.umn.edu/prospective/profile.html | date = 11 December 2011 | access-date=12 August 2012}}

The system is a Federal Depository Library, a State of Minnesota Depository Library and United Nations Depository Library. Among research institutions, it maintains the second-largest collection of government documents in North America.ARL Statistics, p. 79 The University of Minnesota was awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.imls.gov/issues/national-initiatives/national-medal-museum-and-library-service/2017-medals |title=2017 National Medal Winners |publisher=Imls.gov |access-date=2020-11-14}}