Strauss Library traces its origin to 1924 when the medical school was transferred from CU Boulder to the medical center location in Denver. At that time the library contained about 5,000 volumes and was housed in a single room. Fast forward one hundred years and the Strauss Library now has an incredibly large collection and is housed in a 113,000 square foot building. However, while the size of the library has changed dramatically over the last one hundred years, the mission of the library has remained relatively unchanged. In 1924, as well as in 2024, the mission of the Strauss Library is to connect people with the information they need.
What has changed over the last century is the way librarians connect people to the information they need. In 1924 librarians were primarily seen as keepers of the books and journals. Now librarians steward collections that include many types of formats including video, images, databases, data sets, and more. Strauss Library’s collections are over 99% electronic, making them accessible to CU Anschutz faculty and students from anywhere in the world. In addition to building the library’s collections, librarians at Strauss are also assisting with research and education that occurs on campus.
The library building has also evolved over the years. As health sciences education has transformed from didactic to problem-based learning, the study needs of students have evolved too. The Strauss Library provides multiple study options for students from individual quiet study to spaces designed to support group work and collaboration.
Technology changes over the past century have greatly impacted libraries, including Strauss Library, in many positive ways. Students and faculty can access information from the library at their fingertips and at any time of the day. This has greatly improved ease of access to information.
Predicting the future is always challenging, so there is no way to know what the library will look like a hundred years from now. However, we at Strauss Library are sure the library will continue to connect CU Anschutz members with the information they need.