The library had its humble beginning in the year 1925 when the University was founded. The library then was one room affair and it catered to the few pioneer students and faculty members, who at that time required relatively simplistic needs.
In 1965, the Mapúa Library is housed in three places: 1) the Main Library on the fifth floor of Building E in Avenida Rizal, 2) the Intramuros Branch Library on the fourth floor of the Administration Building in Muralla St., Intramuros, Manila, and 3) the High School Library in Doroteo Jose St., Sta. Cruz, Manila.
At present, The Mapúa University Library comprises the Main Library and two branches, namely, Architecture Library and Mapúa - Makati. Mapúa officials, non-teaching staff, faculty members, students, alumni, and outside researchers with referral letters may use the libraries.
Mapúa Main Library and one of its branches are housed in Intramuros Manila, the other branch is in Makati which operation started in 2001; 1) the Main Library is located at the second floor, West Building 2) the Architecture Library at the fourth floor, South Building and 3) Mapúa-Makati, Library at the third floor, West-Wing of the School Building in Makati.
The main library and its branches, fully air-conditioned, monument the University’s desire to give students and faculty the best in library facilities. Each of the three libraries carries materials suited to the courses offered namely, Architecture, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Mining, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, etc.
To fulfill the instructional and research needs of the faculty and students, the library maintains adequate volumes of books, highly paid and free subscriptions, complemented with vertical file materials, collection of maps, non-print and digital materials, undergraduate/graduate theses collection and other pertinent materials that support the curricula of the school.
Vision. Mapúa Library envisions itself as one of the country’s leading libraries in the academic realm. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Institution, it affirms itself to be the Resource Center of Excellence in information, especially in the field of Science and Technology.
Mission. Mapúa Library exists in support of the teaching, research and extension function of the Institution. It shall serve the needs of the academic community, specifically students and faculty members, by assuring equitable access to high quality information resources and services.
Objectives
The Library of Mapua University is divided into three major service functions
Technical Services
This service area is concerned with the acquisition, organization (classification, cataloging, etc.), preparation and preservation of materials. It consists of two sections: the acquisition section and the cataloging, organization and maintenance section.
Reader Services
The Reader Services Division manages activities and operations related to providing information access to all students, faculty members, non-teaching personnel, and alumni. This division is composed of the following sections:
o General Circulation - This section composed of Circulation, Reserve, Fiction, Filipiniana, and Senior High school books collections.
o Architecture Library - It is open to all students and faculty members for higher level of research in the field of Architecture and Industrial Design. The resources are in the form of magazines, journals, case studies in print and CD format, newspapers and books.
o Graduate Studies - Its collection consists of highly advanced technical books, which are accessible to both undergraduate & graduate students.
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Electronic Resources and Information Services
This division manages the use of all electronic databases and systems of the Library. It maintains varied types and forms of instructional and informative non-print materials such as DVDs and CD collections. It also provides instructional, printing service, handles the reservation on the use of the library equipment.
ERIS is composed of the following units:
Internet - This facility allows the clients to gain access to a vast source of information through the internet.
Multimedia - This section basically carries relevant non-print materials and electronic resources on various subject to supplement the research, cultural, recreational and instructional needs of the students and faculty members and non-teaching staff in addition to books and other printed collections of the library.
Reference & Special Collection - This section contains materials that provide quick and direct information (e.g. encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, atlases, handbooks, etc.) needs by the patrons.
Periodicals Section - Serial publications such as magazines, journals, newspaper, etc. It also houses printed copies of Graduate School theses, undergrad feasibility studies and senior high school researches to support the initiatives of the University by providing current information resources in various formats.