Barr Smith Library Appeal

When you donate to the Barr Smith Library, you are directly supporting our students and researchers. 

The Barr Smith Library is more than just a place to study – for almost 130 years it has been a place where students and researchers alike have found support and space for quiet reflection, while still being at the very heart of our North Terrace campus.

When you give to the Barr Smith Library Appeal, you are preserving those experiences for generations of students to come.

Barr Smith Library

Your gift to the Barr Smith Library is an investment in resources that support more than 21,000 learners and researchers each year and enriches our culture of academic and research excellence.

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Barr Smith Library 2022 appeal

As South Australia’s leading research-intensive institution, the University of Adelaide continues to accelerate transitions towards sustainability with investment in research that has a measurable impact.

Our goal is research that builds sustainable pathways and addresses complex challenges associated with climate change, food and water security, biodiversity, health, and housing.

Central to increasing our capacity to produce cutting-edge research is the Barr Smith Library. A diverse and accessible collection of physical and digital resources is essential in supporting more than 21,000 learners and researchers each year and is invaluable to setting up our University and community for success.

The Barr Smith Library offers a range of high-quality resources to support academics and research students throughout the research lifecycle. However, each year it raises much-needed funds to purchase key research resources to continue to be a gateway to knowledge. This would not be possible without the help of our community.

The impact of digital collections

With more than 2.5 million scholarly resources – including books, cds, digitised content and 1.2 million electronic resources – the Library, through the acquisition of key collections, is committed to supporting its community of more than 21,000 learners.

The Barr Smith Library has always held a special place in our history. It provides vital resources to our researchers and contributes to our position as South Australia's premier research-intensive University. It supports our students across the full breadth of the University, from undergraduate to postgraduate studies.

The needs of students at the University of Adelaide today are radically different from students who arrived 10 or 20 years ago. Across our almost 150 year history, we have consistently delivered the most prestigious tertiary education in the State and take pride in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

We are committed to fostering excellence, which means adapting our teaching and learning resources to meet these evolving needs. The nature of study and research today demands a strong digital focus and it is our job to deliver this.

For a discussion about how you can support the Barr Smith Library Appeal, please get in touch with our Development team on +61 8 8313 5800 or development@adelaide.edu.au