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UVic Libraries

What we lend

Yes, we have books! But we also have many resources in other formats you might not know about. These include digital and physical resources, such as films, music, maps, newspapers and more.

We subscribe to these items on your behalf—you don't have to pay to access them. This page provides an overview of what we have and how to find it.

If you need help finding anything, you can always ask us a question or talk to a librarian.

Learn about the different materials in our collection:

How to find resources

The library search box is the most prominent thing on our homepage. You can use this box to search for a specific item or search by topic. The items you will find are all part of the UVic Libraries collection.

How to search:

  1. Enter information about what you’re looking for. This could be a title, author name or keyword. 
  2. Click Search to see the list of results.
  3. Use the filter menu on the left-hand side of the screen to narrow down the results.

Learn more about how to use the search box.

You can also find resources in a database. Databases are large, searchable collections of digital resources. Some databases are specialized to a particular subject (such as education) or a particular format (such as films). Your professor or a librarian may recommend a specific database to you.

Materials in our collections

Archival materials

We collect and preserve historical records related to UVic, as well as rare and unique materials. These include books, manuscripts, oral history interviews and photographs. Some of the materials have been digitized.

Visit our reading room to view archival materials in person (they cannot be taken home).

Art

The University Art Collections focus on the art of the Pacific Northwest. Collection strengths include contemporary Indigenous prints, decorative arts, and European and Asian works.

Books

We have over 2 million ebooks and over a million print books.

Data & statistics

We curate thousands of licensed and open datasets for research. Finding data and statistics can be tricky! We can help you plan a search and decide where to look.

Indigenous resources

We have curated a space to uplift crucial resources for learning, research, reconciliation and self-determination. Our focus is on Indigenous-created material and local Nations.

Journals & articles

You will likely be asked to find and read many articles for your classes. Academic research often takes the form of peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journals.

Laptops & equipment

We lend laptops, charging cables and lots of other equipment.

Maps & air photos

We have over 70,000 physical maps and air photos, including historical regional maps. The maps collection is located on the main floor of Mearns - McPherson Library, near the Ask Us Desk.

Many of our resources are also available online.

Microforms

Our collection of microfilm and microfiche can be found in the basement of the Mearns - McPherson Library. Our collections include historical newspapers, government records and incunabula (books published before 1500).

Music

Our collection includes music scores, recordings and videos. We also subscribe to many music databases.

Many of our physical materials are located on the main floor of Mearns - McPherson Library, towards the back of the building. LPs are located in the basement (Microforms area) and in storage. 

Newspapers & magazines

We subscribe to a wide range of newspapers and popular magazines. You can access current and historical issues of local, national and international publications. Nearly all of our newspapers and magazines are available through online databases.

Video

Most of our films are now available through streaming services. This includes popular movies and TV shows as well as educational films. We also have a collection of DVDs.