About the Library

Davidson College Library P.O. Box 7200 209 Ridge Road Davidson, NC  28035-7200		Circulation Desk: (704) 894-2331 Reference Desk: (704) 894-CHAL (2425) FAX: (704) 894-2625

The Davidson College Library, named in honor of E. H. Little, is a center of activity on campus. Completed in 1974, the library has over 100,000 square feet of space. Facilities include a wireless network, a state-of-the art electronic classroom, a 24-hour study room, video viewing rooms, and a variety of seating options, including study carrels, group study areas, a small computer lab, and several lounges. There are also two departmental libraries on campus: the music library, located in the new Sloan Music Center, and the chemistry library, which is located in the Martin Science Building.

The Davidson College Library contains a diverse collection of materials to support teaching and learning. The main collection contains nearly one-half million volumes, including over 2000 active periodical subscriptions; in addition, the library serves as a regional government depository and also houses the College archives and a small video collection. All of the library’s holdings are accessible from CHAL, the library’s online catalogue, named for Dr. Chalmers G. Davidson, class of 1928 and former history professor, library director, and archivist at the College. Each year, Davidson College students and faculty borrow over 90,000 materials from the Library and download over 75,000 electronic documents from its servers.

Thanks to advances in technology, the Library’s services and resources extend far beyond the walls of Little Library. The library provides students and faculty with access to a fine collection of databases and electronic texts and journals that can be searched from anywhere, on campus or off. Through an international network of libraries, interlibrary loan staff can also obtain materials that are not available locally; many of these documents can be delivered electronically to student and faculty desktops. Reference librarians are always available to assist users with these services and collections. Not only do they staff the reference desk during most of the hours the library is open, but also they assist users electronically through the library’s new e-mail reference service. In addition, they visit classes, hold “office hours” in academic departments, teach workshops, and schedule individual research consultations.

Through its collections, facilities, and services, the Davidson College Library upholds its mission to support teaching, learning, and research at Davidson College.