The Main Library

The Main Library comprises three subject divisions, namely Law and Social Sciences, Humanities and Education, and Science and Technology. The Caribbean Research Library is a special collection housed in the Main Library. All materials are classified and arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification Scheme.

The objectives of the University of Guyana Library are: -

To acquire and preserve books, journals and other materials related to fields of study within and outside of the University.

To make the materials available to users.

To provide a service to the University and to the University community at large.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE MAIN LIBRARY

CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT
The main issue desk, the public catalogues; the quick reference collection and the main information desk are located here. All activities related to borrowing and requests for information are carried out at the main issue desk.

QUICK REFERENCE COLLECTION
The quick reference collection has encyclopedias, dictionaries, yearbooks and other reference resources of an interdisciplinary nature.

HUMANITIES AND EDUCATION DIVISION
This subject division houses books and materials related to the Humanities and Education areas such as: -

Creative Arts, English Language, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Education generally.

Journals related to Humanities, Education and Social Sciences are located in the Humanities and Education Serials Sections.

LAW
The law collection is an integral part of the University of Guyana Law Programme. The aims of the collection are two-fold.:
(i) to place the Collection on par with sister institutions at St. Augustine, Cave Hill and Mona.

(ii) to provide a specialized service for participants of the Law
Programme, the local judiciary and other interested individuals and agencies.

The Collection comprises
(i) A reference section containing approximately 360 books and pamphlet boxes for Lecturers. This information is available to users on a three hourly basis.

(ii) An open access Law book collection.

(iii) Journals and reviews from major institutions.

(iv) Unreported cases for Guyana and CARICOM States.

(v) Laws of Guyana and Commonwealth States.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
This division houses books and journals in the areas of Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Agriculture, Technology, Naval Science and Military Science.

Natural Sciences’ collection covers the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Physics Mathematics, Computer Science and Environmental Science.

The Health Sciences’ collection covers the areas of Medicine, Pharmacy, Medical Technology and Environmental Health while the Agriculture section includes a collection of Forestry books.

The Technology collection includes the areas of Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Architectural Engineering.

SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Division of Social Sciences provides the essential reading materials for all users who are pursuing studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences, the largest faculty at the University.

The books in this Division cover subject areas such as : -
Anarchism, Communism, Socialism
Banking and Insurance
Commerce including Tariff Policies
Economic History
Economic Theory
Finance, Money
Business Management, Industrial Management, Production Management
Societies, Communities, Classes, Social Welfare, Social Problems, Social Pathology, Social History, Social Groups, Social Reform, Criminology, Race
Constitutional History & Administration
International Law
Local Government
Political Theory
Research Methods for Social Sciences

Since the courses at the University of Guyana are inter-disciplinary, the Social Sciences Division also houses materials for courses in other faculties such as Arts, Education, Agriculture and Computer Science.

In addition, there is also a reference section containing Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Handbooks, Yearbooks and a Vertical File Collection which consists of leaflets and pamphlets. The journal collection is also housed in this Division.

UNITED NATIONS COLLECTION
The University of Guyana is a depository for publications of some of the organs of the UNITED NATIONS.

The UN Legal collection consists of Treaty Series, Yearbooks, Loan Agreements, International Court of Justice Commission Reports, etc.

A collection of United Nations publications on Science & Technology is also housed in the named subject division through these mainly WHO and FAO documents.