Northwest Ohio Regional Book Depository
A vital resource for Ohio and beyond
The Northwest Ohio Regional Book Depository (NWORBD) is a high-density library storage facility that preserves and provides access to more than one million unique research materials from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) and the University of Toledo (UT).
Funded by the State of Ohio and opened in 1996, the Depository was created to ensure long-term access to important but less frequently used materials, many of which exist nowhere else in the world. Today, it remains a critical part of Ohio’s research infrastructure, supporting students, faculty, independent scholars and the general public.
The facility is one of five regional book depositories built across Ohio. These facilities were designed to help public universities manage growing research collections while preserving long-term access to important materials.
Why is the Depository such a vital resource?
- Preserves unique and irreplaceable materials that document regional, national and cultural history
- Ensures continued public access to these resources
- Serves as a shared, cost-effective solution for two major public universities
- Protects materials in a climate-controlled environment specifically designed for long-term preservation
Although the facility itself is not open for browsing, all materials are accessible to the public:
- Request items through:
- BGSU Libraries
- University of Toledo Libraries
- OhioLINK - Ohio’s statewide academic library consortium of 87 institutions
- SearchOhio - A collaborative network of public libraries in Ohio
- Physical materials are delivered to associated libraries for pickup
- Some materials may only be viewed in person in the appropriate reading rooms at BGSU or UT
- Book chapters and journal articles can be scanned and delivered electronically via Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
- ILL is the process by which a library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library
Updated: 03/04/2026 03:02PM