The Library
Staff:
Tracy Lenfesty , BA (MtA), MLIS (Dal)
University Librarian
Patricia L. Chalmers, BA (Vind), MSc (Drexel)
Assistant Librarian (Access Services)
Alaina MacKenzie, BA (MSVU), Library & Information Technology Diploma (NSCC), MLIS (Alberta)
Serials & Acquisitions Coordinator
Allison Watt, BA (SMU), Library & Information Technology Diploma (NSCC)
Library Assistant
The University of King’s College Library was established in 1799, when its collection was housed in a room of the main college building in Windsor, Nova Scotia. The library, now in its own building that was designed in 1989 to commemorate the university’s bicentennial, contains more than 85,000 volumes. The general collection of 69,000 volumes supports teaching in the Contemporary Studies Program, Early Modern Studies Program, History of Science and Technology Program, Foundation Year Program, School of Journalism, and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction program. New books and periodicals are added annually. Electronic resources, including databases, e-books, and streaming videos, are available in cooperation with Dalhousie University. Library staff provide research guidance, and the library offers comfortable spaces to study, with a variety of seating options for individuals and groups in a wireless environment. Computers, scanning and printing facilities are available.
King’s belongs to Novanet, the consortium of Nova Scotia academic and community college libraries that also includes New Brunswick’s Mount Allison University Library. Novanet’s integrated catalogue and library management system give the King’s community access to over 6,000,000 items from throughout the member libraries. King’s also belongs to the Council of Atlantic University Libraries (CAUL); students, faculty and staff may request a Canadian University Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement (CURBA) card to use at most academic libraries in Canada.
The library’s Special Collections of nearly 16,000 volumes include medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, incunabula (15th-century printed books) and thousands of 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century books. Collection strengths are due to the historic origins of the university, its former teaching interests, and donations to the library during the past two centuries.
The University Archives, located on the lower floor of the library, was established in 1992 as the repository for inactive records having permanent legal, administrative or historical value, such as minutes, correspondence, reports and publications produced in the course of university business. The Archives also collects material documenting the university’s history and student activities.
Specimens from the Weldon Collection of Pottery and Porcelain are on permanent display in the library foyer. The McCain Gallery on the lower floor contains permanent and changing exhibits of art, rare books, and museum artifacts from various collections of the library and archives.
The library, with its welcoming space and helpful staff, is an important part of the King’s community.