Collections at Cook Library / Albert S. Cook Library

Collections at Cook Library

Albert S. Cook Library contains about 570,000 volumes and 17,800 non-book items, and subscribes to more than 1960 print journals, 2000 electronic journals, and 80 online databases.

On this page:

Reference
Stacks
Periodicals
Curriculum Guides
Curriculum Materials
Juvenile Books
Audio Visual
Archives

Reference

The Reference Collection is located on the third floor, the main floor of Cook Library. The collection is shelved behind the Reference Desk. Generally, Reference materials are for use in the Library. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, statistical manuals, and bibliographies are excellent sources for locating basic information on a topic and getting sources that will provide more information on a subject.

Stacks

The Stacks are bookcases in the Library that house the main collection of books. The collections in these bookcases are open-access and you can browse or retrieve titles yourself. Stacks are located on the fourth and fifth floors.

Periodicals

The Cook Library at Towson University subscribes to more than 1,700 print journals, 3,000 electronic journals, and 100 online databases. These periodicals provide access to a wide range of subjects, opinions, research and current events, and include scholarly, professional journals, and popular magazines. All printed journals and magazines can be found alphabetically in the Periodicals Reading Room or the Bound Area on the 2d floor of the Cook Library; however, some must be requested at the Service Desk.

Curriculum Guides

Cook Library has the Maryland State Depository collection of Curriculum Guides on the fourth floor, under the call number, "COFS." The collection is especially rich with materials from the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Wicomico, and Baltimore City. They are available at any time the library is open and can be checked out.

Curriculum Materials

Curriculum Materials are any teaching devices or kits that do not shelve well with the books. Our 1,587 items include cassettes, pictures, puzzles, stamps, science equipment, rubber stamps, games, and videos. They are on the fourth floor and can be checked out.

Juvenile Book Collection

Cook Library has a collection of about 15,000 books for children which is located on the fourth floor. They are divided into the categories of fiction, short stories, non-fiction and biography, and are shelved according to the Dewey Decimal System.

Audio Visual Collection

Media Resource Services (MRS) maintains a collection of over 8,500 videos and films for faculty and student use. Students must view video materials in the Media Lab. MRS also has a collection of audiocassettes, phonograph records, and CDs. Students may listen to these in the Media Lab or check them out. A valid TU identification card with the Cook Library label is needed to checkout materials. The collection is located on the second floor.

University Archives

The Towson University Archives contains materials pertaining to every aspect of the history of the University from 1866 to the present. The Archives serves as the repository for the non-current official University records as well as including records pertaining to student organizations, alumni activities, and university publications. In addition, the Archives houses a large collection of photographs and other memorabilia. The collection is located on the fifth floor.