Berkeley's excellence in teaching, research, and public service is founded on the University Library. Opened in 1868 with a collection of a thousand books, the Library now holds more than ten million volumes. It ranks as one of the world's great research collections.

But today Berkeley's Library is more than its collections. The Library is a place outside the classroom and away from the distractions of home, where students can focus on learning in the way they prefer. Whether studying in the peace and quiet of the main stacks, grabbing coffee with friends at the Free Speech Movement Cafe, or researching for a paper, students find what they need to thrive at the Library.