Thomas Cooper Library Materials Projects

USC Libraries is embarking on three large-scale projects in the stacks on levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Thomas Cooper Library:

• Transfer of materials that are held by few other libraries worldwide to the offsite Annex
• Withdrawal of materials in poor condition; to be replaced as needed
• Withdrawal of materials that have no record of circulation and are at least 10 years old

These projects will: 

• Protect the print record for current and future researchers
• Ensure that you have continued access to the research materials you need, including those that may not be held by other institutions
• Free space in Thomas Cooper Library for other uses

Withdrawing materials is difficult, but critically important for responsible stewardship of our collections, spaces and budget. 

• Materials that our students, faculty and staff do not use, or that are in poor condition, do not serve the University’s research and teaching mission.  
• USC community members use our spaces for diverse purposes, including studying, collaborating, and of course, discovering and using print materials. In recent years, however, increasingly fewer patrons have been browsing our stacks, and circulation of our print collections has declined dramatically. With growing enrollments, we need more space for students, for classrooms, and for other academic support initiatives.

Please contact Heather Heckman (heckmanh@mailbox.sc.edu) if you have questions about these projects.