The 1891 Charter of Incorporation for Rice University provided for the “establishment and maintenance in the city of Houston of a Public Library.” This library was founded in 1913 with a beginning collection of fewer than 200 volumes. Today, Fondren Library is a modern research library with over 2 million volumes, 2.6 million microforms, and 14,300 current serials and periodicals. The library is also a selective depository for U.S. and Texas government publications and for U.S. patents and trademarks and is a virtual patent office serving the Southwest U.S. and northern Mexico.

Fondren, an invaluable resource to the university, is also regularly used by the citizens of Houston. In 1998–99, approximately 641,000 people visited; the average number of patrons from outside Rice per day was about 40 percent. The library’s holdings are broad, reflecting the various interests of the university community.

Fondren Library’s Woodson Research Center acquires, secures, catalogs, and
preserves special collections of rare books and manuscripts as well as Rice University archives. Rare book and manuscript collections of note include:

Public Service Archives of James A. Baker, III, 61st Secretary of State, 67th secretary of the treasury, former White House chief of staff, and former undersecretary of commerce