Central Philippine University Library

The Central Philippine University Library is biggest library in terms of volume in Western Visayas. The library has more than 200,000 volumes including holdings of special collections like the 40,000 United Nations Documents, World War II Documents, American Studies Resource Center, Meyer-Asian Collection, Food and Agriculture Organization and Elizabeth Knox Sacred Music Collection.

Library System

The Central Philippine University Library system is composed of the Henry Luce III Library (Main Library) and the local libraries of the College of Law, High School, and the Elementary School. The libraries for Theology and the Graduate Studies, formerly housed at Johnson Hall and the Alumni Building, respectively, are now housed at the Main Library. The main library building has a seating capacity of 1,000 persons, High School Library 150; the Elementary Library, 125, and the College of Law, 42. The total seating capacity of the University Libraries at present is 1,320. At present, the University Libraries have a total holding of about 236,307 pieces of print materials distributed at the different sections of the three storey Main Library and the departmental libraries.

Holdings

The main library holding volumes include the Graduate Studies, Theology and the Special Collections. The Elementary Library has 30,071 volumes, the High School library has 20,024, and the College of Law Library, 6,108 accessioned volumes.

Periodicals. The Library maintains subscriptions to both local and foreign print periodicals as well as subscription to ONLINE journals (OVID Medline), 8 local newspapers and more than 1,200 irregular titles or serials acquired through/from library linkages. In addition, the library receives 1,315 titles through exchanges and through gifts from local and foreign institutions. Other titles come as free mails, from here and abroad, although these are irregular. All in all, the library receives a total of 1,191 periodical titles excluding the Theology Library holdings. The Theology Library maintains and subscribes to 38 foreign and local publications. 25 titles come as gifts from Baptist World Alliance, World Council of Churches and friends of the Library.

Organization. The Library follows the Dewey Decimal Classification System. The Sears List of Subject Headings as well as the Library of Congress Subject Headings are the main sources of the subject authority list.

Linkages

The CPU Library is a depository of United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations;is a recipient of library materials from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Population Council in New York; the National Library (Manila), and Australian Center for Publication Acquired for Development (ACPAD), Population Information Network, and the International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines; The Thomas Jefferson Information Center in Manila, and the United States Information Service are regular library donors for the CPU-American Studies Resource Center (ASRC). The American Studies Centre through its Educational Advising Program help/assist students who want to study in the U.S. Individual donors and alumni continue to assist in the development of library collection.

Starting April 29, 1997, the National Statistics Office (NSO), Region VI designated Central Philippine University Library as NSO Information Center. The Graduate Studies Library houses the NSO publications.

Library Link, Based in the Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati, Metro Manila, is an electronic union catalogue of the Filipiniana Libraries of different schools and institution in the Philippines. It makes it possible for researchers to look for materials and identify their location using only one search facility. Membership of CPU took place on May 9, 2002.

In February 1998. Central Philippine University signed a Memorandum of Agreement with SEAMEO/SEARCA as one of the centers for information. In May 2000, the University started the library Interconnection with Silliman University and Trinity University of Asia, and launched its Web-Online Public Access Catalog (Web-OPAC).

The Academic Libraries Book Acquisition System Association, Inc. (ALBASA) facilitates information on new books by conducting Books Fairs & Seminar Workshops. It also facilitates orders for library supplies of member schools at lower prices. The CPU Library as one of the incorporating members, has been with ALBASA since the early 1970s.