About the OCAD U Library
The Library nurtures a learning ecology extending beyond the classroom and studio, where everyone can engage in historical, critical and scientific inquiry, research, lifelong learning and the celebration of creativity, experimentation and innovation.
The Library is comprised of three departmental locations that offer distinct collections, services, and programs: The Dorothy H. Hoover Library, The Learning Zone and Visual Resources & Special Collections.
The Dorothy H. Hoover Library houses more than 70,000 books, periodicals, videos and special collections such as the Diana Myer’s Artists’ Bookwork collection. The print collection is predominately composed of visual art and design publications, whereas science and social sciences subject areas are more strongly represented within Library’s collection of digital resources. These resources include more than 180,000 ebooks, 60,000 electronic periodicals and hundreds of thousands of streaming videos, images and other digital objects. The Library’s Reference & Instructional services support teaching and research and facilitates use of the collections in all research endeavours.
The Learning Zone actively partners with students and faculty to offer unique exhibitions, workshops and events and offers access to its own unique collections including zines and design annuals. Both the Library and Learning Zone offer a variety of group and individual study spaces, work areas, scanners and desktop computers imaged with a mix of design and productivity software.
The Visual Resources & Special Collections department maintains, develops and facilitates access to digital image, media and archival research collections. Visual Resources provides alternative formats to students and instructional image and video services to faculty.
History of the Library & the Art and Design Library for the Future
- Library History: A brief history of OCAD University’s Library.
- Significant enhancements to the Library’s facilitates, services and collections have been identified as a key priority in the University’s Creative City Campus project in fulfillment of many of the salient recommendations of the 2008 report Enacting a Learning Mission: A Consulting Report of the Ontario College of Art & Design.
