Library

History

Mount Royal University Library is an integral part of the MRU experience, supporting deep learning and innovative teaching and scholarship. The Library fosters intellectual curiosity, creativity, and exploration, where people find new answers and develop new questions. The Library engages our diverse communities by sharing our expertise through a range of intriguing programs, excellent services, and rich information resources, in a welcoming, technology-enabled environment.

MRU Library Past and Future

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  1972

  • Lincoln Park Campus opens including the Library.
  • Campus approach to instruction was based on the Leggett model. Library design was based on vast open concept with local Resource Islands providing support and resources for faculty and programs within “departments”.
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  1972-76

  • Library’s open concept and honour system for borrowing becomes problematic and security gates are installed.
  • Media resources collection and services becomes part of the Library.
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  1977-1979

  • Open concept design proves noisy and is renovated to create quiet study areas.
  • Library gets non-smoking area!
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  1981

  • Heritage Fund grant was received dedicating $9 million dollars for collection improvement.
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  1990-1992

  • Card catalogue dismantled and new online catalogue introduced (Multilis System).
  • Overdue fines introduced.
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  1996

  • Library Resource Islands close.
  • Library Reserve collection implemented.
•  

  2000

  • $1.6 million dollars received to strengthen collection in support of applied degrees.
•  

  2001

  • Library relocated while major renovation begins. Library renovation was planned to address student growth and demand for the next five years.
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  2003-2006

  • Library review identifies need to grow Library in terms of faculty and staff, as well as collections.
  • Library enhancements becomes Mount Royal College’s highest facilities priority and a focus point for the transition of Mount Royal College to Mount Royal University.
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  2008

  • Provincial government provides $2.8 million in funds to plan new Library and Learning Centre.
•  

  2009

  • Mount Royal College officially becomes Mount Royal University.
  • Additional investments are made to support Library collections for degree programs
  • Mount Royal celebrates Centennial.
  • Library takes on official responsibility for the University Archives.
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  2010

  • Library spaces reorganized to address persistent noise issues.
  • Clay Riddell becomes named donor for the Riddell Library and Learning Centre.
  • Provincial Government provides support for construction of the Riddell Library and Learning Centre, with the ground breaking taking place that same year.
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  2014-2016

  • Library restructuring and planning for new services and programs in Riddell Library and Learning Centre is started.
  • Building planning and design along with community consultation underway.
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  2017

  • Construction is completed and Library moves into new Riddell Library Learning Centre on June 26 2017 for its soft launch.
  • New Library includes visualization spaces, a maker studio, audio production rooms, an immersion studio, new library classrooms, a special collections and archives area, 34 group rooms, quiet reading rooms and lots of student study space.
  • Other building partners – Academic Development Centre, Student Learning Services, Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and Department of Education – move in over the course of the summer.
  • September 7th 2017 Grand Opening!