Welcome!
The University of Virginia Library’s collections span formats, time, and disciplines. With millions of resources, the Library encourages, collaborates with, and supports University teaching and research initiatives while providing a gateway to scholarly discovery and cultural insights.
This page highlights resources, data, and materials in the “regular” collections. For information related to Special Collections and rare books and materials please visit the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.
Fast facts
Explore the collections
Explore the myriad facets of the Library’s collections — from 17th-century newspapers to astronomical data:
- Search Virgo, the Library's online catalog of books, journals, videos, newspapers, images, and more.
- Browse our ebook collections.
- Look for peer-reviewed journal articles in Virgo or find a specific journal by name.
- Find a database, like J-STOR or Academic Search Complete, in our A to Z List of databases.
- Consult online guides written by Library experts — a quick way to get into collections by subject (from aerospace engineering to women, gender, and sexuality), format, or specific course name.
- Peruse diverse and inclusive resources at the Library.
- View brief lists of new resources at the Library.
- Look for data sets and related resources.
Help us build our collections!
Submit a purchase recommendation, or support traditional and evolving research by investing in extensive and robust collections.
Read the University of Virginia Library Collection Development and Management Strategy for more information about Library collections policies. For information regarding book donations and gifts-in-kind, please read about the current gifts moratorium for circulating collections or see the gift guide for the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.
Featured resource
Queer Pasts
Queer Pasts is a collection of primary source exhibits for students and scholars of queer history and culture. The database uses “queer” in its broadest and most inclusive sense, to embrace topics that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender and to include work on sexual and gender formations that are queer but not necessarily LGBT. Each of the document collections in the database will include a critical introductory essay that helps explain the significance of the primary sources in historical terms and in relationship to previous scholarship. This database seeks to broaden the field of queer history, including projects that focus on the experiences and perspectives of under-represented historical groups, including people of color, trans people, and people with disabilities. Visit Queer Pasts.
Sustainable Scholarship
Exploring the cost, value, and sustainability of big journal bundles
For years libraries have wrestled with the Big Deal value proposition: access to all of the journal articles controlled by a corporate vendor in exchange for one large, steadily-growing lump payment. An increasing number of libraries see that proposition breaking down. We believe this conversation needs to move beyond the walls of the Library, to include faculty, students, and other library users.
Talk to us!
Questions? If you don’t find what you need in our FAQ, send us a note using lib-collections@virginia.edu! If you have questions about special collections, please contact the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.