The University of Utah's Marriott Library maintains a vast array of specialized collections, ranging from rare books and historical manuscripts to extensive digital archives and specialized subject libraries designed to preserve the history of the West.
Extensive Rare and Digital Holdings
The library's expansive holdings include the Rare Books collection, which contains more than 80,000 books, maps, ephemera, and realia. These items document the history of human communication, spanning from ancient clay tablets to modern artists' books.
In addition to these physical artifacts, the library manages a massive digital presence through its Digital Library. This resource provides access to more than 500 digital collections, which include over 2 million digital photographs and various newspaper pages.
Specialized Research Archives
Specialized research is supported through several distinct archives and subject-specific libraries. The Middle East Library offers over 12,000 bound journal volumes and more than 150,000 books in both Western and major Middle Eastern languages. This collection also includes 3,000 rare items and 13,371 manuscripts preserved in micro-formats.
For those studying the history of winter sports, the library houses the Ski and Snow Sports Archives. This collection is recognized as the most comprehensive in the entire country for research regarding the history and development of Utah's winter sports industry.
Preserving Regional History
The library also serves as a primary repository for historical documentation through its various archives. The University Archives and Records Management holds over 500 fully processed primary archival collections that preserve the institutional history of the University of Utah. These are available for both institutional and public patron use via hard-copy and online finding aids.
Further documentation of regional history is found within the multimedia collections, which include photographs, moving images, digital archives, and sounds that document the history of Utah and the West. The University of Utah Web Archive provides a permanent home for transitory digital information, specifically targeting websites.
Artistic and Social Archives
The Marriott Library also provides dedicated spaces for specialized artistic and social research. The Book Arts Program features a fully equipped studio where bookbinders, printers, and book artists use traditional techniques like type, letterpress, and photo engravings alongside modern technology. This program works alongside Red Butte Press, which produces finely crafted, limited editions that honor the traditions of fine press printing.
The Clyde Women's Legacy Archive is another significant component of the library, focused on documenting and preserving the history of women whose lives and work contributed to social and cultural change.
Institutional Support and Preservation
The library's structural organization includes several specialized departments and collections. The Fine Arts and Architecture collection provides specialized reference materials for visual arts, art history, architecture, music, ballet, modern dance, theatre, and film and media arts. Additionally, the library serves as a congressionally designated public depository for U.S. Government documents.
To maintain these vast resources, the library employs a dedicated preservation team. This group is responsible for the care of books, documents, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and various three-dimensional objects belonging to both the J. Willard Marriott and the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Libraries.
Collection Management and Access
The university manages its collections through a systematic process of evaluation and development. The collection development process involves evaluating current holdings and making changes based on multiple factors, including usage statistics and budgetary constraints.
Patrons can also interact with the library's offerings through various physical and digital locations. While many collections are housed on Level 3, where visitors can discover new titles and make suggestions for popular books, the library also utilizes maps to help patrons navigate the various collection locations.
