Caltech Library System

Caltech Library System. The Caltech Library System is the central academic library system supporting the research and educational mission of the California Institute of Technology. It provides comprehensive collections, expert services, and innovative digital infrastructure to the Caltech community, with a strong focus on the STEM fields. The system operates across multiple campus locations and is renowned for its specialized holdings, commitment to open access, and leadership in digital library development.

History

The origins of the library trace back to the collections of Throop University, the precursor to Caltech, with a formal library established in 1934 following the completion of the Millikan Library building, named for Nobel laureate Robert A. Millikan. Throughout the 20th century, the system expanded significantly, incorporating specialized branches like the Sherman Fairchild Library of Engineering and Applied Science. A major transformation began in the 1990s under the leadership of directors such as Karin Trainer, who pioneered early digital repository projects. The system has continually evolved, most notably with the 2017 strategic shift to outsource its print collections management to the HathiTrust and other off-site facilities, radically reimagining its physical footprint and services.

Collections and services

The collections are deeply specialized in physics, astronomy, geology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and all fields of engineering. Notable holdings include the Papers of Albert Einstein, the Archives of the Mount Wilson Observatory, and the historical records of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Services are heavily oriented toward advanced research support, including data management, bibliometrics, and systematic review consultations. The library also maintains the institutional repository CaltechAUTHORS, curates the CaltechTHESIS collection, and provides extensive access to major digital resources like the Web of Science and Scopus.

Facilities

The main facility is the Millikan Library, a nine-story structure that houses administrative offices, collaborative workspaces, and the Ask a Librarian service point. The Sherman Fairchild Library serves as the primary hub for engineering and applied sciences. Other specialized branches include the Geology & Planetary Sciences Library and the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics reading room. Following its large-scale deaccessioning project, the system now emphasizes high-use materials and technology-enabled spaces over vast physical stacks, with the majority of its legacy print collection stored at the Southern Regional Library Facility operated by the University of California.

Digital initiatives and open access

The library is a national leader in open access advocacy and digital scholarship infrastructure. It developed and maintains CaltechDATA, a repository for research datasets, software, and multimedia. A pioneer in open access publishing, Caltech was one of the first universities to adopt an institutional open access policy in 2013. The library actively supports the DOAJ and operates the Caltech Open Access Book Fund. Key digital initiatives also include participation in the ArchivesSpace consortium for archival management and the preservation of digital assets through partnerships with the CLOCKSS archive and Portico.

Governance and organization

The library system is a division of the California Institute of Technology and reports to the Vice Provost for Research. It is governed by the Caltech Library Committee, a faculty advisory body. The organizational structure is designed around functional teams rather than traditional branch silos, encompassing units for Research Services, Digital Library Development, Collection Strategies, and Archives and Special Collections. The system works in close partnership with other campus entities like the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach.

Category:California Institute of Technology Category:Academic libraries in California Category:Library systems in the United States