University of California Library Handbook 1918-1919

Step into the bustling world of a major university library as it stood a century ago. The handbook opens with a concise history, tracing the collection from its modest beginnings in a small college to the grand, granite‑clad building designed by John Galen Howard, complete with marble staircases, a spacious reading hall, and towering stacks ready to hold a million volumes. It also outlines the generous gifts and dedicated funds that shaped the library’s growth, offering a snapshot of the academic spirit that drove its expansion.

Beyond the bricks and books, the guide walks students and faculty through every service zone: the Reserved Book Room for semester‑specific texts, the lively Periodical Room, the specialized Bancroff collection on California history, and the quiet reference and circulation desks. Practical rules, cataloguing methods, and inter‑library loan procedures are explained clearly, making this handbook a useful companion for anyone navigating the campus’s intellectual hub.