About the University Library

The Robert W. Van Houten Library, NJIT’s university library, houses a core collection of print books, group study rooms and has an Information Commons computer lab with more than 100+ computer workstations and wireless access throughout the building. The Barbara and Leonard Littman Architecture, Art and Design Library, a branch of the university library, maintains a core collection of architecture, art, and design resources. 

The University Library has a staff of 24, who are committed to developing innovations in access services, information literacy, and digital initiatives. The collection comprises over 440,000+ volumes with 48 full-text databases, over 69,000+ electronic journals, 216,000+ ebooks, and 222,000+ physical holdings.

The Van Houten Library, located in the Central Avenue Building, is about 56,266 square feet and has approximately 600 seats, provides a facility for individual and group study, research, computing, and browsing with wireless access available throughout the building.

Mission

The mission of the Robert W. Van Houten Library is to satisfy the published information and document needs of the NJIT community in pursuit of their educational and research programs in a cost-effective, timely manner, and provide a high-quality academic learning environment.

2021-2025 Strategic Goals

Transform the library into an open knowledge resource

• Create a model digital knowledge environment enabling all forms of digital scholarship: research, teaching, and learning. A digital scholarship environment will support students and faculty in locating and using knowledge in a digital format to increase collaboration and engagement, supporting education and research.
• Lead and innovate in expanding the definition, scope, and functions of the research library by reimagining its resources, spaces, and services. This will ensure that the library meets the evolving needs of the students, faculty, and university community.
• Create a library learning commons for students, faculty, and partners to immerse themselves in interactive computing, multimedia creation, and large-scale visualization—tools that are enabling new ways to process and use information. A Learning Commons within the library will support new ways of teaching and learning.
• Establish policies, procedures, and infrastructure to move NJIT's academic materials and scholarly endeavors into a more open and accessible format. This will ensure access to knowledge resources is equitable and sustainable.
• Collaborate with faculty to increase the use of open textbooks, open educational resources (OER), or digital learning materials in courses. The use of open educational resources will achieve significant savings for students.

Access

The resources of the Van Houten Library at the NJIT primarily support the instructional and research needs of the NJIT community. The library is open to the public for research relating to the NJIT library's unique science and technology collection. Individuals not affiliated with NJIT may be required to show an acceptable identification card. All library users must comply with NJIT library policies.

Information