The Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center (MSFRIC), founded in 1946, is the premier library in the Department of Defense (DOD). It houses well-balanced collections especially strong in the fields of war fighting, aeronautics, Air Force and DOD operations, military sciences, international relations, education, leadership, and management. The Center holds more than 2.6 million items: 530,000 military documents; over 429,000 monographs and bound periodical volumes; 615,000 maps and charts; 150,000 current regulations/manuals; and over 909,000 microforms. The Center also operates a branch library at the US Air Force Senior NCO Academy located at Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex, Alabama, which provides tailored information collections and services for senior NCO PME. The library, located in the center of the Chennault Circle, was given the memorial name "Fairchild" after the founder and first commander of Air University, Gen Muir S. Fairchild.
