Electronic Resources and Traditional Collections

The Clark Library’s collections are developed collaboratively by librarians and subject faculty and are selected to support and enrich the University curriculum. Thousands of electronic, print, and media resources are added annually to support a broad range of disciplines and interests

The library subscribes to an extensive collection of electronic resources including subject research databases, online journals, eBooks, and streaming videos. Library faculty and staff keep up with current technologies and practices to facilitate access to these information resources.

Traditional print and media collections in the library number more than 250,000 items, providing a rich and ever-evolving selection of books, journals, CDs, and DVDs. The library also offers curriculum-focused special collections in Catholic theology and philosophy as well as American history. Additionally, the library conserves a collection of over 1,000 rare books and manuscripts housed in the library’s Special Collection room. These materials are available for use through special arrangement.

More than 28 million additional library resources are available to University of Portland students, faculty, and staff through Summit borrowing, thanks to the University’s membership in the Orbis Cascade Alliance consortium. Summit borrowing is a simple, user-initiated service available through the library’s website. Students and faculty can search and select resources from the collections of 37 academic libraries in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and quickly have them delivered to the Clark Library. Summit borrowing also allows the University of Portland community to borrow on-site from any of the consortium libraries.