With a collection of over 2 million volumes and librarians with expertise across disciplines, Fondren Library is critical to the research, teaching, and learning mission of the university. Fondren Library has a range of spaces for study and collaboration, from the quiet and contemplative Centennial Reading Room to our bustling Collaborative Commons.
Fondren Library serves as the general collection for SMU, supporting undergraduate and graduate programs in the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, the Lyle School of Engineering, and the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Fondren Library was the first library located on the SMU campus.
Collections
Juvenile Collection
The Juvenile Collection is a small collection of pre-K to young adult books, located on the south wall of the 2nd floor. It covers all subject areas and both fiction and non-fiction. All levels are intermixed by topic.
Government Documents
Fondren Library houses both Federal and Texas print government information collections. Fondren Library has been a member of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) since 1925. This Library houses a selective Depository collection that includes print, electronic and microfiche formats of current and historic information from the federal government. Notable strengths in the Federal collection are Defense, Education, and State Department documents. Fondren Library also houses state-level resources covering education, heath, workforce and other Texas print resources up to 2012.
History of Fondren Library
W.W. and Ella Fondren funded the construction of Fondren Library West, the first stand-alone library on campus, which opened in 1940. The Fondren Foundation also provided funds for Fondren Library East opened in 1968. In 1999, the link in the Main Desk area was added to connect East, West, and the Science Information Center. In 2024, the Science Information Center building was permanently closed in preparation for construction of the Rees-Jones Library of the American West.