Library

History

The Naval War College Library has always been central to the Naval War College's educational and research programs. Its origins can be traced to a requisition for library books in August 1885 for use by the first class assigned to the War College. Nineteen years later in 1904, a building was erected to house the library which was then named the Alfred Thayer Mahan Library. In 1905 the first librarian was appointed. Housed in Hewitt Hall since 1976, the current library is named in honor of the late Rear Admiral Henry Effingham Eccles.

The Academic Collection

The academic collection, containing more than 250,000 items in paper format and an additional 450,000 items in microfiche/card/film, is located in the main library in Hewitt Hall. Hewitt Hall houses the reference collection, the periodical collection (1700 titles of which 700 are current subscriptions), the microform collection, the government depository collection, the restricted (rare book) collection, and the general collection. The focus of the collection is on naval and military science, history and strategy, management, economics, international relations, international law, oceanography, and political science.

The Classified Library

The Classified Library is contained within the main library and requires a security clearance for entry. This library contains over 40,000 titles and over 62,000 discrete items in paper format.

The Naval Historical Collection

The Naval Historical Collection (NHC) is housed in Mahan Hall. It contains over 300 manuscript and archival collections.

Note

See the links on the right for additional information; note that additional items will be constantly added.

Contact Information