History

The library was established at the inception of the University of Technology , Jamaica in 1958 and has always been an integral part of the Institution.

For the first twelve years of its existence, the library was able to accommodate 15 persons and was managed by a Clerical Assistant.  In 1970, under the first World Bank Programme, the library was relocated to new facilities on the Administrative Block.  This provided office accommodation for a librarian, a reading room with seating for 100 clients and a small workroom for staff.

The present two-storey building constructed in 1984 under the Government of Jamaica/World Bank 111 Loan Programme. It was officially opened in 1986 by The Governor General, His Excellency, The Most Honourable Sir Florizel Glasspole, O.N., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., C.D. and was named the Calvin McKain Library in honour of the institution’s first Jamaican Vice Principal.

Further expansion took place in 2000 with the addition of a Caribbean Collection and Reading Room. Additional space was created for a graphics artist lab and a new cyber-lab with 28 stations. 

In addition to the main library, the University community is served through three service points. In 2001, the library assumed responsibility for the Slipe Pen Road campus library and the Caribbean School of Architecture Documentation Service.  In 2002, the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences devolved the management of the Drug Information Services to the library.  The following year, the Urban and Regional Planning Division’s collection was merged with CSA and the unit was renamed the Faculty of the Built Environment Reference Library.

From small beginnings, in modest accommodation, the library has grown to a self contained building housing four reading rooms seating 300 clients, an audio visual centre, an archive, and seminar rooms.