BYU Libraries
HBLL
BYU has four libraries with specific characteristics that make each of them unique.
The Howard W. Hunter Law Library is state-of-the-art with over 330,000 volumes specific to the studying minds of law students desiring to become successful attorneys.
The Harold B. Lee Library has more than 3 million volumes in the University's library collection. The collection includes archives and manuscript collections of Western American history, historical film and music collections, and a learning resource center offering all types of media. The second-largest LDS Family History Library in the world and L. Tom Perry Special Collections are located inside the HBLL.
(801)-422-6200
Brigham Young University is home to the second-largest LDS Family History Library in the world. Come look through records from around the world and discover who your ancestors were and what they did. The library is located on the second floor of the Harold B. Lee Library. The collection provides genealogical researchers throughout the world access to a rich repository of histories. These records have been created by family members to celebrate the lives of their ancestors. The library is full of volunteer workers waiting to help those with the desire to find out more about their history.
This service is open to the public and is free. The library provides consultants, downloadable forms, free
Genealogy
software, free online training courses, and other services. Every second and fourth Sunday of each month, the Family History Library gives classes on how to start your family history search. The library also provides microfilm and microfiche with genealogical data. Web sites such as Ancestory.com, Footnote.com and Worldvitalrecords.com, which cost to access, are free while accessing them through BYU’s server while on campus at the library. The Family History Library also utilizes the New.FamilySearch.org Web site which is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This site provides “free family history, family tree, and genealogy records and resources from around the world,” for anyone to use.
Information Commons: (801)-422-2927
General Library Information: (801)-422-2926
The Harold B. Lee Library began as a small collection of books in the Karl G. Maeser building. Before 1973 the library was named the J. Reuben Clark Library. Following 1973 the library was changed to the Harold B. Lee Library, in honor of the former president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The HBLL currently has about 98 miles of shelving for the over 6 million items contained in the various collections it holds. The library can seat 4,600 people which is equal to 2 ½ football fields from North to South. The library has also over 10,000 patrons entering the building each day.
(801)-422-3593
The J. Reuben Clark Law Library holds 477,601 volumes and volume equivalents and 168,256 monograph titles and 4,155 active serial subscriptions. The library has a strong collection of Anglo-American primary and secondary sources, and is particularly strong in Utah primary and secondary sources. The Library also collects foreign, international, and comparative law materials and maintains a very good state and federal government documents collection. The Library receives selected Utah state documents, including bills, administrative rules and regulations, legislative reports, and agency materials. Ninety-nine percent of the Library’s holdings are accessible through the integrated online system.
(801)-422-3175
The Special Collections was founded in 1957. It began with 1,000 books, 50 manuscript collections, and one curator. Today the department has 14 full-time curators and manuscript processors assisted by 30 students working with 300,000 books, 9,000 manuscript collections, and nearly 3/4 million photographs. The Special Collections acquires, preserves, and makes available for use printed materials (280,000 books, pamphlets, prints, etc.) and a vast array of items comprising manuscript materials (8,000 manuscript collections including diaries, journals, papers, music scores, university records [including records of retired faculty], and 500,000 photographs).