A milestone in the history of the University's Albert Sloman Library was marked when its one millionth book was added to the shelves.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan was invited to add the barcode to The Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonne, a three volume work produced by Phaidon between 2002 and 2004. It details all of Warhol’s paintings and sculptures completed between 1961 and 1969, and includes all of the variants of his iconic image of the Campbell’s soup tin.

Professor Riordan said: ’This is a great event which had to be marked. A library where books are valued to the extent they are here is vital.’

The first volume to be added to stock was donated by the Colchester Borough Librarian in February 1963, long before the Library building opened its doors in summer 1967. The book was A Catalogue of the Harsnett Library in Colchester…, compiled by Gordon Goodwin, 1888, a fitting first item in the collection, as the Harsnett Library itself was transferred to the stewardship of the Albert Sloman Library in 2002.

Today approximately 20,000 volumes are added to stock every year, including books, pamphlets, periodicals, DVDs and other audio visual material.

The Library has significant Special Collections, including archives relating to organisations and individuals such as the SDP, Mary Whitehouse, Sigmund Freud and Margery Allingham. Holdings of newspapers, microfilms, parliamentary papers and official publications are significant, alongside modern electronic products which include more than 23,000 online journals and electronic books.